HB2340 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 09676 BDA 19742 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB2340

Introduced 2/4/2025, by Rep. Tony M. McCombie

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

520 ILCS 5/3.1-6

Amends the Wildlife Code. Authorizes the issuance of landowner deer, turkey, and combination permits to landowners, resident tenants, and bona fide equity shareholders, members, or partners with at least 20 acres in a county where the Department of Natural Resources has positively identified chronic wasting disease cases in the deer herd (rather than 40 acres of land).

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning wildlife.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Section 3.1-6 as follows:

(520 ILCS 5/3.1-6)

Sec. 3.1-6. Special deer, turkey, and combination hunting licenses.

(a) For the purpose of this Section:

"Bona fide equity member" means an individual who:

(1) (i) became a member upon the formation of the limited liability company or (ii) has purchased a distributional interest in a limited liability company for a value equal to the percentage of the appraised value of the LLC assets represented by the distributional interest in the LLC and subsequently becomes a member of the company under Article 30 of the Limited Liability Company Act; and

(2) intends to retain the membership for at least 5 years.

"Bona fide equity partner" means an individual who:

(1) (i) became a partner, either general or limited, upon the formation of a partnership or limited partnership, or (ii) has purchased, acquired, or been gifted a partnership interest accurately representing his or her percentage distributional interest in the profits, losses, and assets of a partnership or limited partnership;

(2) intends to retain ownership of the partnership interest for at least 5 years; and

(3) is a resident of this State.

"Bona fide equity shareholder" means an individual who:

(1) purchased, for market price, publicly sold stock shares in a corporation, purchased shares of a privately-held corporation for a value equal to the percentage of the appraised value of the corporate assets represented by the ownership in the corporation, or is a member of a closely-held family-owned corporation and has purchased or been gifted with shares of stock in the corporation accurately reflecting his or her percentage of ownership; and

(2) intends to retain the ownership of the shares of stock for at least 5 years.

(b) Landowner Deer, Turkey, and combination permits shall be issued without charge to:

(1) Illinois landowners residing in this State who own at least 40 acres of Illinois land, or at least 20 acres in a county where the Department has positively identified chronic wasting disease cases in the deer herd, and wish to hunt upon their land only;

(2) resident tenants of at least 40 acres of commercial agricultural land where they will hunt or at least 20 acres of commercial agricultural land where they will hunt in a county where the Department has positively identified chronic wasting disease cases in the deer herd; and

(3) bona fide equity shareholders of a corporation, bona fide equity members of a limited liability company, or bona fide equity partners of a general or limited partnership which owns at least 40 acres of land in a county in this State, or at least 20 acres in a county where the Department has positively identified chronic wasting disease cases in the deer herd, who wish to hunt on the corporation's, company's, or partnership's land only. One permit shall be issued without charge to one bona fide equity shareholder, one bona fide equity member, or one bona fide equity partner for each 40 acres of land owned by the corporation, company, or partnership in a county or for each 20 acres of land owned by the corporation, company, or partnership in a county where the Department has positively identified chronic wasting disease cases in the deer herd; however, the number of permits issued without charge to bona fide equity shareholders of any corporation or bona fide equity members of a limited liability company in any county shall not exceed 15, and shall not exceed 3 in the case of bona fide equity partners of a partnership.

Bona fide landowners or tenants who do not wish to hunt only on the land they own, rent, or lease or bona fide equity shareholders, bona fide equity members, or bona fide equity partners who do not wish to hunt only on the land owned by the corporation, limited liability company, or partnership shall be charged the same fee as the applicant who is not a landowner, tenant, bona fide equity shareholder, bona fide equity member, or bona fide equity partner. Nonresidents of this State who own at least 40 acres of land, or at least 20 acres in a county where the Department has positively identified chronic wasting disease cases in the deer herd, and wish to hunt on their land only shall be charged a fee set by administrative rule. The method for obtaining these permits shall be prescribed by administrative rule.

(c) The deer, turkey, or combination hunting permit issued without fee shall be valid on all farm lands which the person to whom it is issued owns, leases or rents, except that in the case of a permit issued to a bona fide equity shareholder, bona fide equity member, or bona fide equity partner, the permit shall be valid on all lands owned by the corporation, limited liability company, or partnership in the county.

(Source: P.A. 99-869, eff. 1-1-17.)