00 SENATE BILL NO. 207 01 "An Act relating to exemptions for a resident hunting and sport fishing license and to 02 taking fish and game by proxy for a person with mental or physical disabilities." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04  * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 05 to read: 06 LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that AS 16.05.341(b), 07 enacted by sec. 4 of this Act, be implemented in a manner that will enable organizations that 08 serve mentally or physically disabled persons to apply for resident hunting and sport fishing 09 licenses on behalf of the persons they serve, and that the process be straightforward and 10 timely, so that persons with mental or physical disabilities are able to enjoy the use of the 11 state's resources in a manner consistent with art. VIII, sec. 1, of the Constitution of the State 12 of Alaska. 13  * Sec. 2. AS 16.05.340(a)(17) is amended to read: 14 (17) Waterfowl conservation tag ....................................................... 5 01 (A) A person may not engage in waterfowl hunting without 02 having the current year's waterfowl tag in the person's actual possession, unless 03 that person 04 (i) qualifies for a $5 license fee under (6) of this 05 subsection; 06 (ii) is a resident under the age of 16; 07 (iii) is 60 years of age or older and is a resident; 08 (iv) is a disabled veteran or mentally or physically  09 disabled person eligible for a free license under AS 16.05.341. 10 (B) The Board of Game shall by regulation exempt the 11 requirement of a waterfowl conservation tag for waterfowl hunting in areas of 12 the state not likely to benefit from programs described in AS 16.05.130(b)(2) - 13 (4). 14  * Sec. 3. AS 16.05.340(a)(23) is amended to read: 15 (23) Resident anadromous king salmon tag .................................... 10 16 A resident may not engage in sport fishing for anadromous king salmon without 17 having the current year's anadromous king salmon tag in the resident's actual 18 possession, unless that person 19 (A) qualifies for a 25 cent license fee under (1) of this 20 subsection; 21 (B) is under the age of 16; 22 (C) is 60 years of age or older and has been a resident of the 23 state for at least one year; 24 (D) is a disabled veteran or mentally or physically disabled  25 person eligible for a free license under AS 16.05.341; or 26 (E) qualifies for a $5 license fee under (6) of this subsection. 27  * Sec. 4. AS 16.05.341 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 28 (b) A person with mental disabilities or a person with physical disabilities may 29 receive a resident hunting and sport fishing license under AS 16.05.340(a)(5) without 30 charge. 31  * Sec. 5. AS 16.05.405(b) is amended to read: 01 (b) Notwithstanding AS 16.05.420(c), a resident holding a valid resident 02 hunting license may take game on behalf of a person who is blind, a person with 03 physical disabilities, a person with mental disabilities, or a person who is 65 years of 04 age or older if the resident possesses on the resident's person 05 (1) a document signed by the person on whose behalf the game is 06 taken, stating that the resident possesses the person's hunting license or permanent 07 identification card in order to take game on behalf of that person; and 08 (2) the person's 09 (A) resident hunting license issued under AS 16.05.403,  10 resident hunting and sport fishing license issued under AS 16.05.340(a)(5),  11 if the person is a person with mental disabilities; or permanent identification 12 card issued under AS 16.05.400(b); and 13 (B) harvest ticket, tag, stamp, or other document required by 14 law as a condition of taking the game being hunted. 15  * Sec. 6. AS 16.05.405(c) is amended to read: 16 (c) Notwithstanding AS 16.05.420(c), a resident holding a valid 17 noncommercial fishing license may take fish on behalf of a person who is blind, a 18 person with physical disabilities, a person with mental disabilities, or a person who 19 is 65 years of age or older if the resident possesses on the resident's person 20 (1) a document signed by the person on whose behalf the fish is taken, 21 stating that the resident possesses the person's sport fishing license, subsistence fishing 22 permit, personal use fishing permit, or permanent identification card in order to take 23 fish on behalf of that person; 24 (2) the person's 25 (A) resident sport fishing license issued under AS 16.05.403,  26 resident hunting and sport fishing license issued under AS 16.05.340(a)(5)  27 if the person is a person with mental disabilities, or permanent identification 28 card issued under AS 16.05.400(b); 29 (B) resident subsistence fishing permit issued under 30 AS 16.05.403; or 31 (C) resident personal use fishing permit issued under 01 AS 16.05.403; and 02 (3) all other documents issued to the person that are required by law as 03 a condition of taking the fish being pursued. 04  * Sec. 7. AS 16.05.940 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 05 (38) "person with mental disabilities" means a person who presents to 06 the department either written proof that the person receives compensation or services 07 from a government agency for a mental disability or an affidavit stating that the person 08 is eligible for services under AS 47.30.056(b) signed by a 09 (A) physician licensed to practice medicine in the state; 10 (B) psychologist licensed to practice psychology in the state; or 11 (C) social worker licensed to practice clinical social work in the 12 state. 13  * Sec. 8. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 14 read: 15 REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION. The revisor of statutes is instructed to change the catch 16 line of AS 16.05.341 from "Free license for disabled veterans and active members of the 17 Alaska National Guard and military reserves" to "Free license for certain persons."