Legislative Session number- 88

Bill Name: SF0796

7E Relating to natural resources; modifying rulemaking authority of the
commissioner relating to the need to adjust season variables on an annual basis
based upon current biological and harvest data; providing for federal law
compliance relating to power drive mobility devices under the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA); authorizing the commissioner to allow critically ill
persons to purchase once in a lifetime hunting licenses under certain
conditions; providing all-terrain vehicle (ATV) registration and watercraft
licensing requirement exemptions for ATVs and watercraft registered by Indian
tribal governments to members; requiring the commissioner to designate a no
registration weekend per year for state and grant-in-aid ATV vehicle trails;
extending the age for which ATV riders may receive a safety certificate;
specifying conditions for ATV operation by youthful persons between certain
ages; modifying nonresident ATV state trail pass requirements; allowing ATV
operation within certain areas of public road right-of-way of trunk highways
under certain conditions; modifying certain provisions relating to invasive
species; expanding the service provider definition to include persons who
decontaminate water; requiring commercial licensees to remove aquatic
macrophytes before placing equipment into state waters, a permit to transport
aquatic macrophytes, and offender training; exempting certain persons
transporting water from noninfested surface water bodies from regulation;
allowing mandatory inspection stations for individual water bodies, the
commissioner to issue permits allowing aquatic macrophyte transport to certain
locations, and allowing special permits; exempting the Minnesota zoo board from
animal health board and game and fish provisions regarding wild animals;
requiring the zoo board to request a board of animal health or department of
natural resources (DNR) permit for exemptions; defining rice boat; modifying the
definition of watercraft; defining waterfowl boat; providing watercraft license
exemptions for approved federally recognized Indian tribes; permitting
cooperative farming agreements for aquatic management areas; clarifying certain
license seizure provisions relating to the taking of big game animals;
authorizing the commissioner upon request to issue a permanent card for free
deer licenses and the taking of small game for permanently disabled veterans;
modifying Take a Kid Fishing Weekends provisions; authorizing resident fish
spearing for ages 16 or 17; authorizing nonresidents under age 16 to obtain a
small game license, specifying certain apprentice hunter validation
requirements; for nonresidents age 16 or under; modifying big game licenses for
residents and nonresidents under age 16; allowing nonresident youth spearing;
modifying hunting fees for young hunters; modifying and expanding resident and
nonresident hunting license fees for young hunters; modifying Minnesota resident
sporting licenses; modifying issuing fees for persons authorized to sell
licenses; modifying apprentice hunter validation requirements; modifying certain
motor vehicle restrictions; expanding the authority of the commissioner to
establish special hunts; authorizing the commissioner to adopt rules to
authorize the use of game fish eggs as bait in Lake Superior and its
tributaries; modifying the spear fishing prohibited period; modifying
restrictions on use and possession of nets and spears; allowing suckers to be
taken by spearing during a certain period; establishing an early bow fishing
season for residents and nonresidents; modifying the authority for bows and
arrows possession; modifying nighttime restrictions on motors; specifying antler
point restrictions; requiring the commissioner to amend rules relating to game
fish eggs as bait, wildlife restitution value for sandhill cranes, rough fish
spearing date change consistency, and spearing restrictions removal in certain
lakes; repealing the zebra mussel definition, provisions relating to big game
license requirements for nonresidents under age 16, the prohibition on returning
certain netted rough fish to waters, and a certain prior provision relating to
deer hunting rules
(je)