Public Act 0402 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1652 Enrolled LRB098 05803 MRW 35842 b

Public Act 098-0402

AN ACT concerning wildlife.

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

Section 2. The Fish and Aquatic Life Code is amended by changing Section 20-105 as follows:

(515 ILCS 5/20-105) (from Ch. 56, par. 20-105)

Sec. 20-105. Revocation and suspension; refusal to issue.

(a) Whenever a license or permit is issued to any person under this Code and its holder is found guilty of any misrepresentation in obtaining the license or permit or of a violation of Section 48-3 of the Criminal Code of 2012 or a violation of any of the provisions of this Code, including administrative rules, the license or permit may be revoked by the Department and the Department may refuse to issue any permit or license to that person and may suspend the person from engaging in the activity requiring the permit or license for a period of time not to exceed 5 years following the revocation. Department revocation procedure shall be established by administrative rule.

(b) Whenever any person who has not been issued a license or a permit under the provisions of this Code is found guilty of a violation of Section 48-3 of the Criminal Code of 2012 or a violation of the provisions of this Code, including administrative rules, the Department may refuse to issue any permit or license to that person, and suspend that person from engaging in the activity requiring the permit or license for a period of time not to exceed 5 years.

(c) Any person who knowingly or intentionally violates any of the provisions of this Code, including administrative rules, during the 5 years following the revocation of his or her license or permit under subsection (a) or during the time he is suspended under subsection (b), shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor as provided in Section 20-35. The penalties for a violation of Section 48-3 of the Criminal Code of 2012 shall be as provided in that Section.

(d) A person whose license or permit to engage in any activity regulated by this Code has been suspended or revoked may not, during the period of the suspension or revocation or until obtaining such a license or permit, (i) be in the company of any person engaging in the activity covered by the suspension or revocation or (ii) serve as a guide, outfitter, or facilitator for a person who is engaged or prepared to engage in the activity covered by the suspension or revocation.

(e) No person may be issued or obtain a license or permit or engage in any activity regulated by this Code during the time that the person's privilege to engage in the same or similar activities is suspended or revoked by another state, by a federal agency, or by a province of Canada.

(Source: P.A. 91-545, eff. 8-14-99.)

Section 3. The Wildlife Code is amended by changing Section 3.36 as follows:

(520 ILCS 5/3.36) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.36)

Sec. 3.36. Revocation and suspension.

(a) Whenever a license or permit is issued to any person under this Act, and the holder thereof is found guilty of any misrepresentation in obtaining such license or permit or of a violation of Section 48-3 of the Criminal Code of 2012 or a violation of any of the provisions of this Act, including administrative rules, his license or permit may be revoked by the Department, and the Department may refuse to issue any permit or license to such person and may suspend the person from engaging in the activity requiring the permit or license for a period of time not to exceed 5 years following such revocation.

Department revocation procedures shall be established by Administrative rule.

(b) Whenever any person who has not been issued a license or a permit under the provisions of this Code is found guilty of a violation of Section 48-3 of the Criminal Code of 2012 or a violation of the provisions of this Code, including administrative rules, the Department may refuse to issue any permit or license to that person, and suspend that person from engaging in the activity requiring the permit or license for a period of time not to exceed 5 years.

(c) Any person who knowingly or intentionally violates any of the provisions of this Act, including administrative rules, during such period when his license or permit is revoked or denied by virtue of this Section or during the time he is suspended under subsection (b), shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. The penalties for a violation of Section 48-3 of the Criminal Code of 2012 shall be as provided in that Section.

(d) Licenses and permits authorized to be issued under the provisions of this Act shall be prepared by the Department and be in such form as prescribed by the Department. The information required on each license shall be completed thereon by the issuing agent or his sub-agent at the time of issuance and each license shall be signed by the licensee, or initialed by the designated purchaser and then signed immediately upon receipt by the licensee, and countersigned by the issuing agent or his sub-agent at the time of issuance. All such licenses shall be supplied by the Department, subject to such rules and regulations as the Department may prescribe. Any license not properly prepared, obtained and signed as required by this Act shall be void.

(e) A person whose license or permit to engage in any activity regulated by this Code has been suspended or revoked may not, during the period of the suspension or revocation or until obtaining such a license or permit, (i) be in the company of any person engaging in the activity covered by the suspension or revocation or (ii) serve as a guide, outfitter, or facilitator for a person who is engaged or prepared to engage in the activity covered by the suspension or revocation.

(f) No person may be issued or obtain a license or permit or engage in any activity regulated by this Code during the time that the person's privilege to engage in the same or similar activities is suspended or revoked by another state, by a federal agency, or by a province of Canada.

(Source: P.A. 90-225, eff. 7-25-97; 91-545, eff. 8-14-99.)

Section 5. The Criminal Code of 2012 is amended by changing Section 48-3 as follows:

(720 ILCS 5/48-3)

Sec. 48-3. Hunter or fisherman interference.

(a) Definitions. As used in this Section:

"Aquatic life" means all fish, reptiles, amphibians, crayfish, and mussels the taking of which is authorized by the Fish and Aquatic Life Code.

"Interfere with" means to take any action that physically impedes, hinders, or obstructs the lawful taking of wildlife or aquatic life.

"Taking" means the capture or killing of wildlife or aquatic life and includes travel, camping, and other acts preparatory to taking which occur on lands or waters upon which the affected person has the right or privilege to take such wildlife or aquatic life.

"Wildlife" means any wildlife the taking of which is authorized by the Wildlife Code and includes those species that are lawfully released by properly licensed permittees of the Department of Natural Resources.

(b) A person commits hunter or fisherman interference when he or she intentionally or knowingly:

(1) obstructs or interferes with the lawful taking of wildlife or aquatic life by another person with the specific intent to prevent that lawful taking;

(2) drives or disturbs wildlife or aquatic life for the purpose of disrupting a lawful taking of wildlife or aquatic life;

(3) blocks, impedes, or physically harasses another person who is engaged in the process of lawfully taking wildlife or aquatic life;

(4) uses natural or artificial visual, aural, olfactory, gustatory, or physical stimuli to affect wildlife or aquatic life behavior in order to hinder or prevent the lawful taking of wildlife or aquatic life;

(5) erects barriers with the intent to deny ingress or egress to or from areas where the lawful taking of wildlife or aquatic life may occur;

(6) intentionally interjects himself or herself into the line of fire or fishing lines of a person lawfully taking wildlife or aquatic life;

(7) affects the physical condition or placement of personal or public property intended for use in the lawful taking of wildlife or aquatic life in order to impair the usefulness of the property or prevent the use of the property;

(8) enters or remains upon or over private lands without the permission of the owner or the owner's agent, with the intent to violate this subsection; or

(9) fails to obey the order of a peace officer to desist from conduct in violation of this subsection (b) if the officer observes the conduct, or has reasonable grounds to believe that the person has engaged in the conduct that day or that the person plans or intends to engage in the conduct that day on a specific premises; or .

(10) uses a drone in a way that interferes with another person's lawful taking of wildlife or aquatic life. For the purposes of this paragraph (10), "drone" means any aerial vehicle that does not carry a human operator.

(c) Exemptions; defenses.

(1) This Section does not apply to actions performed by authorized employees of the Department of Natural Resources, duly accredited officers of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, or other peace officers if the actions are authorized by law and are necessary for the performance of their official duties.

(2) This Section does not apply to landowners, tenants, or lease holders exercising their legal rights to the enjoyment of land, including, but not limited to, farming and restricting trespass.

(3) It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution for a violation of this Section that the defendant's conduct is protected by his or her right to freedom of speech under the constitution of this State or the United States.

(4) Any interested parties may engage in protests or other free speech activities adjacent to or on the perimeter of the location where the lawful taking of wildlife or aquatic life is taking place, provided that none of the provisions of this Section are being violated.

(d) Sentence. A first violation of paragraphs (1) through (8) of subsection (b) is a Class B misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation of paragraphs (1) through (8) of subsection (b) is a Class A misdemeanor for which imprisonment for not less than 7 days shall be imposed. A person guilty of a second or subsequent violation of paragraphs (1) through (8) of subsection (b) is not eligible for court supervision. A violation of paragraph (9) or (10) of subsection (b) is a Class A misdemeanor. A court shall revoke, for a period of one year to 5 years, any Illinois hunting, fishing, or trapping privilege, license or permit of any person convicted of violating any provision of this Section. For purposes of this subsection, a "second or subsequent violation" means a conviction under paragraphs (1) through (8) of subsection (b) of this Section within 2 years of a prior violation arising from a separate set of circumstances.

(e) Injunctions; damages.

(1) Any court may enjoin conduct which would be in violation of paragraphs (1) through (8) or (10) of subsection (b) upon petition by a person affected or who reasonably may be affected by the conduct, upon a showing that the conduct is threatened or that it has occurred on a particular premises in the past and that it is not unreasonable to expect that under similar circumstances it will be repeated.

(2) A court shall award all resulting costs and damages to any person adversely affected by a violation of paragraphs (1) through (8) or (10) of subsection (b), which may include an award for punitive damages. In addition to other items of special damage, the measure of damages may include expenditures of the affected person for license and permit fees, travel, guides, special equipment and supplies, to the extent that these expenditures were rendered futile by prevention of the taking of wildlife or aquatic life.

(Source: P.A. 97-1108, eff. 1-1-13.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

Effective Date: 8/16/2013