Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission - As enacted, makes changes relative to temporary group hunting event permits. - Amends TCA Title 58 and Title 70. Companion bill has been assigned Public Chapter Number 216 by the Se, the official text

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Staie ef Jenne5Sl3e

PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 216

                                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1140

                                    By Crowe, Southerland, Bowling, Lowe, Rose

                                             Substituted for: House Bill No. 918

  By Slater, Fritts, Barrett, Moon, Brock Martin, Reedy, Hemmer, Crawford, Howell, Hawk, Reneau,
                                              Eldridge, Lafferty, Cepicky, Todd

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 58 and Title 70, relative to hunting licenses for
          disabled veterans participating in hunts sponsored by not-for-profit organizations.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-2-104, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:

                    (h)(1) The executive director, or the executive director's designee, shall, upon request,
                    issue a temporary group hunting event permit to a not-for-profit organization that
                    sponsors and pays for a hunting experience at no cost to a veteran with any percentage
                    of service-connected disability.

                              (2) A temporary group hunting event permit issued pursuant to this subsection
                    (h) must be for a duration that is no longer than the duration of the hunting experience
                    for which the permit is issued, but in no event may the permit be valid for more than
                    seven (7) days. Such hunting experience must comply with all applicable laws,
                    regulations, and proclamations.

                              (3) Participants shall provide all information necessary to obtain an individual
                    hunting license in connection with a temporary group hunting event permit, and none
                    of the cost for the permit must be borne by the disabled veteran participant.

                              (4) The executive director, or the executive director's designee, shall accept as
                    evidence of service-connected disability for the purposes of this subsection (h) a
                    certification from the veterans' administration.

                              (5) To account for lost federal funding to the agency ·and to comply with
                    subsection (f), the executive director, or the. executive director's designee, may collect
                    all pertinent and relevant information to certify the unique individuals taking part in the
                    hunting experience under a temporary group hunting event permit.

                              (6) The commission may promulgate rules necessary to effectuate this
                    subsection (h) in accordance with§ 70-1-206(a)(7).

          SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 1140

PASSED:  April 3, 2025

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                                '     RANDY McN}LLY

                                   SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

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                               CAMERONSEXTON,SPEAKER
                              HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

J± /J.pr; APPROVED this      I
         day of                       2025

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         BILL LEE, GOVERNOR