SENATE, No. 1777
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED JANUARY 14, 1997
By Senator CARDINALE
An Act concerning gun, bow and arrow, and trapping safety and proficiency training for hunters and trappers, and amending P.L.1954, c.57, P.L.1957, c.195, and P.L.1977, c.320.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1954, c.57 (C.23:3-4.2) is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding any provisions contained in [sections] R.S.23:3-1 to 23:3-22 [of the Revised Statutes,] concerning the issuance of resident or nonresident hunting licenses, at the time an application for license is made by an applicant above the age of 10, to whom a license has not previously been issued, [such] the applicant shall present to the issuing agent a certificate stating that the applicant has satisfactorily completed a course in gun safety, which shall be signed by an agent of the Division of Fish, Game and [Shell Fisheries] Wildlife designated for the purpose whose fitness to give instructions in safe gun handling has been determined by the Division of Fish, Game and [Shell Fisheries] Wildlife of the Department of Environmental Protection. Upon written request, the division or any designated agent thereof, shall provide such a certificate stating that the applicant has satisfactorily completed a course in gun safety to any New Jersey resident who provides written proof that the person has satisfactorily completed a course in gun safety, for nonresidents, in another state that is essentially equivalent, as determined by the division, to the course taught in New Jersey.
A person above the age of 10 who previously has had a license to engage in hunting issued to him shall not be entitled to purchase another such license in a subsequent year unless at the time of making application he shall submit to the license issuing agent his license of a previous year, or a certification from the Division of Fish, Game and [Shell Fisheries] Wildlife stating that he held such a license.
(cf: P.L.1971, c.381, s.2)
2. Section 1 of P.L.1957, c.195 (C.23:3-7.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding any provisions contained in [sections] R.S.23:3-1 to 23:3-22 [of the Revised Statutes,] concerning the issuance of resident or nonresident bow and arrow licenses, any person applying for a bow and arrow license must present to the issuing agent either a certificate stating that the applicant has satisfactorily completed a course in bow and arrow safety and proficiency, which shall be signed by an agent of the Division of Fish [and] , Game and Wildlife designated for the purpose whose fitness to give instructions in bow handling has been determined by the Division of Fish [and] , Game and Wildlife of the Department of [Conservation and Economic Development] Environmental Protection , or a previously issued bow and arrow license.
Upon written request, the division or any designated agent thereof, shall provide such a certificate stating that the applicant has satisfactorily completed a course in bow and arrow safety and proficiency to any New Jersey resident who provides written proof that the person has satisfactorily completed a course in bow and arrow safety and proficiency, for nonresidents, in another state that is essentially equivalent, as determined by the division, to the course taught in New Jersey.
(cf: P.L.1957, c.195, s.1)
3. Section 1 of P.L.1977, c.320 (C.23:3-7.8) is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding any provisions contained in R.S.23:3-1 to 23:3-22 [,] concerning the issuance of a resident or nonresident trapping license, at the time an application for license is made by an applicant of the age of 12 years or over, to whom a trapping license has not previously been issued, [such] the applicant shall present to the issuing agent a certificate stating that the applicant has satisfactorily completed a course in trapping methods , which shall be signed by an agent of the Division of Fish, Game and [Shell Fisheries] Wildlife designated for that purpose, whose fitness to give instructions in proper trapping methods has been determined by the division. Upon written request, the division or any designated agent thereof, shall provide such a certificate stating that the applicant has satisfactorily completed a course in trapping methods to any New Jersey resident who provides written proof that the person has satisfactorily completed a course in trapping methods, for nonresidents, in another state that is essentially equivalent, as determined by the division, to the course taught in New Jersey.
A person of the age of 12 years or over who previously had a license to engage in trapping issued to him [,] shall not be entitled to purchase another such license in a subsequent year unless at the time of making application he shall submit to the license issuing agent his license of a previous year, or a certification from the division stating that he held such license.
(cf: P.L.1977, c.320, s.1)
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under current law, New Jersey resident hunters and trappers must take firearm, bow and arrow, or trapping safety and proficiency courses, as the case may be, taught by personnel or authorized agents of the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife as a prerequisite to obtaining their hunting or trapping licenses. The current practice of the division, at least with regard to the firearm safety course, is to require a New Jersey resident to take the course even if the person has satisfactorily completed a similar course in another state to obtain a nonresident hunting license in that state. This bill would eliminate the requirement to take, in New Jersey, a second safety and proficiency course in that limited instance with respect to the firearm, bow and arrow, or trapping safety and proficiency courses, as the case may be, provided that the New Jersey resident license applicant submits written proof of satisfactory completion of a course, for nonresidents, in another state that is essentially equivalent, as determined by the division, to the course taught in New Jersey.
Provides that completion by NJ resident of comparable nonresident hunter or trapper safety and proficiency course in another state is sufficient to meet NJ requirement for such training in NJ.