Bill Text: NJ S1091 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses and free admission to State parks and forests for individuals with certain types of military service.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-23 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S1091 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S1091-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses and free admission to State parks and forests for individuals with certain types of military service.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning fees for fishing, hunting, and trapping licenses and admission to State parks and forests and amending P.L.1983, c.324 and P.L.1993, c.303.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 12 of P.L.1983, c.324 (C.13:1L-12) is amended to read as follows:
12. a. The department shall not charge an admission fee for entrance into a State park or forest by any person who is:
(1) a resident of the State of 62 or more years of age or who is totally disabled [or who is];
(2) an active member of the New Jersey National Guard who has completed Initial Active Duty Training ;
(3) a member of a unit of the organized reserve of the Armed Forces of the United States which is located in New Jersey;
(4) an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States;
(5) a disabled veteran; or
(6) a retired member of the New Jersey National Guard .
The department shall prescribe by regulation the types of evidence that may be used to qualify persons for the benefits of this [subsection] section .
b. As used in this section[,]:
"Disabled veteran" means any person who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States and who has been declared by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or its successor, to have a service-connected disability of any degree;
"Initial Active Duty Training" means Basic Military Training, for members of the New Jersey Air National Guard, and Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training, for members of the New Jersey Army National Guard ; and
"Retired member of the New Jersey National Guard" means any person who has transferred from the active New Jersey National Guard to the retired reserve.
(cf: P.L.1993, c.304, s.1)
2. Section 1 of P.L.1993, c.303 (C.23:3-1e) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, no fee, including application fees and issuance fees, may be charged of an applicant for a license, permit, stamp, tag, or certificate to hunt, fish, trap, or otherwise lawfully take fish, game, or any other wildlife in the State, who is:
(1) an active member of the New Jersey National Guard who has completed Initial Active Duty Training [or who is];
(2) a member of a unit of the organized reserve of the Armed Forces of the United States which is located in New Jersey;
(3) an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States;
(4) a retired member of the New Jersey National Guard; or
(5) a disabled veteran.
The Division of Fish and Wildlife shall prescribe by regulation the types of evidence that may be used to qualify persons for the benefits of this section.
b. As used in this [act] section:
"Disabled veteran" means any [resident of the State] person who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States and who has been declared by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or its successor, to have a service-connected disability of any degree; [and]
"Initial Active Duty Training" means Basic Military Training, for members of the New Jersey Air National Guard, and Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training, for members of the New Jersey Army National Guard ; and
"Retired member of the New Jersey National Guard" means any person who has transferred from the active New Jersey National Guard to the retired reserve.
(cf: P.L.1999, c.282, s.5)
3. Section 2 of P.L.1993, c.303 (C.23:3-1f) is amended to read as follows:
2. At the end of each fiscal year, the Director of the Division of Fish [, Game] and Wildlife shall certify to the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury the amount that the "hunters' and anglers' license fund" has been reduced as a result of any license issued without charge pursuant to section 1 of [this act] P.L.1993, c.303 (C.23:3-1e). An amount equal to the amount certified shall be appropriated each year from the General Fund to the "hunters' and anglers' license fund" for additional operating costs.
(cf: P.L.1993, c.303, s.2)
4. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after enactment.
STATEMENT
Current law provides that active members of the New Jersey National Guard who have completed Initial Active Duty Training may obtain free admission to State parks and forests as well as free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, permits, stamps, tags, and certificates. Current law also provides that disabled veterans qualify for free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, permits, stamps, tags, and certificates but not free admission to State parks and forests.
This bill would expand upon current law to provide that disabled veterans would be entitled to free admission to State parks and forests. In addition, the bill would expand upon current law to provide that persons with any of the following types of military service would also be entitled to free admission to State parks and forests and to free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, permits, stamps, tags, and certificates:
(1) a member of a unit of the organized reserve of the Armed Forces of the United States which is located in New Jersey;
(2) an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States; and
(3) a retired member of the New Jersey National Guard.
Finally, the bill provides that the benefits authorized in the bill and in current law would apply to both residents and nonresidents of the State who meet the established criteria.
