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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3537

Introduced 2/5/2026, by Sen. Chapin Rose

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

515 ILCS 5/20-45

from Ch. 56, par. 20-45

Amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. Provides that the fee for a
license for a resident of the State for sport fishing devices or spearing
devices is $14.50 for individuals 18 to 64 years old (rather than $14.50
for individuals 16 to 64 years old). Provides that no fee for a license or
a 3-year license shall be charged to residents under 18 years old or
residents 65 years old or older (rather than one-half of the fee shall be
charged to residents 65 years old or older). Deletes provisions regarding
fees for residents 75 years old or older. Further provides that no fee for
lifetime licenses shall be charged to residents 65 years old or older.
LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b

A BILL FOR

SB3537
LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b
1

AN ACT concerning fish.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The Fish and Aquatic Life Code is amended by
5
changing Section 20-45 as follows:

6

(515 ILCS 5/20-45)

(from Ch. 56, par. 20-45)
7

Sec. 20-45.
License fees for residents.
Fees for licenses
8
for residents of the State of Illinois shall be as follows:
9

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, for
10

sport fishing devices as defined in Section 10-95 or
11

spearing devices as defined in Section 10-110, the fee is
12

$14.50 for individuals
18

16
to 64 years old
, one-half of
13

the current fishing license fee for individuals age 65 or
14

older,
and, commencing with the 2012 license year,
15

one-half of the current fishing license fee for resident
16

veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning
17

from service abroad or mobilization by the President of
18

the United States as an active duty member of the United
19

States Armed Forces, the Illinois National Guard, or the
20

Reserves of the United States Armed Forces. Veterans must
21

provide to the Department acceptable verification of their
22

service. The Department shall establish by administrative
23

rule the procedure by which such verification of service

SB3537
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LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b
1

shall be made to the Department for the purpose of issuing
2

fishing licenses to resident veterans at a reduced fee.
No
3

fee under this subsection (a) shall be charged to
4

residents under 18 years old or residents 65 years old or
5

older.

6

(a-3) Except as otherwise provided in this Section,
7

for sport fishing devices as defined in Section 10-95 or
8

spearing devices as defined in Section 10-110, residents
9

of this State may obtain a 3-year fishing license. The fee
10

for a 3-year fishing license is 3 times the annual fee.
No
11

fee under this subsection (a-3) shall be charged to
12

residents under 18 years old or residents 65 years old or
13

older.

For residents age 65 or older, the fee is one half
14

of the fee charged for a 3-year fishing license.
For
15

resident veterans of the United States Armed Forces after
16

returning from service abroad or mobilization by the
17

President of the United States, the fee is one-half of the
18

fee charged for a 3-year fishing license. Veterans must
19

provide to the Department, per administrative rule,
20

verification of their service. The Department shall
21

establish what constitutes suitable verification of
22

service for the purpose of issuing 3-year fishing licenses
23

to resident veterans at a reduced fee.
24

(a-5)
(Blank).

The fee for all sport fishing licenses
25

shall be $1 for an annual license and 3 times the annual
26

fee for a 3-year license for residents over 75 years of

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LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b
1

age.

2

(b) All residents before using any commercial fishing
3

device shall obtain a commercial fishing license, the fee
4

for which shall be $60
,
and a resident fishing license,
5

the fee for which is $14.50. Each and every commercial
6

device used shall be licensed by a resident commercial
7

fisherman as follows:
8

(1) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction
9

thereof, of seine the fee is $18. For each minnow
10

seine, minnow trap, or net for commercial purposes the
11

fee is $20.
12

(2) For each device to fish with a 100 hook trot
13

line device, basket trap, hoop net, or dip net the fee
14

is $3.
15

(3) When used in the waters of Lake Michigan, for
16

the first 2000 lineal feet, or fraction thereof, of
17

gill net the fee is $10; and for each 1000 additional
18

lineal feet, or fraction thereof, the fee is $10.
19

These fees shall apply to all gill nets in use in the
20

water or on drying reels on the shore.
21

(4) For each 100 lineal yards, or fraction
22

thereof, of gill net or trammel net the fee is $18.
23

(c) Residents of this State may obtain a sportsmen's
24

combination license that shall entitle the holder to the
25

same non-commercial fishing privileges as residents
26

holding a license as described in subsection (a) of this

SB3537
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LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b
1

Section and to the same hunting privileges as residents
2

holding a license to hunt all species as described in
3

Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. No sportsmen's
4

combination license shall be issued to any individual who
5

would be ineligible for either the fishing or hunting
6

license separately. The sportsmen's combination license
7

fee shall be $25.50. For residents age 65 or older, the fee
8

is one-half of the fee charged for a sportsmen's
9

combination license. For resident veterans of the United
10

States Armed Forces after returning from service abroad or
11

mobilization by the President of the United States as an
12

active duty member of the United States Armed Forces, the
13

Illinois National Guard, or the Reserves of the United
14

States Armed Forces, the fee, commencing with the 2012
15

license year, is one-half of the fee charged for a
16

sportsmen's combination license. Veterans must provide to
17

the Department acceptable verification of their service.
18

The Department shall establish by administrative rule the
19

procedure by which such verification of service shall be
20

made to the Department for the purpose of issuing
21

sportsmen's combination licenses to resident veterans at a
22

reduced fee.
23

(c-5) Residents of this State may obtain a 3-year
24

sportsmen's combination license that shall entitle the
25

holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as
26

residents holding a license as described in subsection

SB3537
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LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b
1

(a-3) and to the same hunting privileges as residents
2

holding a license to hunt all species as described in
3

Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code. A 3-year sportsmen's
4

combination license shall not be issued to any individual
5

who would be ineligible for either the fishing or hunting
6

license separately. The 3-year sportsmen's combination
7

license fee shall be 3 times the annual fee. For residents
8

age 65 or older, the fee is one-half of the fee charged for
9

a 3-year sportsmen's combination license. For resident
10

veterans of the United States Armed Forces after returning
11

from service abroad or mobilization by the President of
12

the United States, the fee is one-half of the fee charged
13

for a 3-year sportsmen's combination license. Veterans
14

must provide to the Department, per administrative rule,
15

verification of their service. The Department shall
16

establish what constitutes suitable verification of
17

service for the purpose of issuing 3-year sportsmen's
18

combination licenses to resident veterans at a reduced
19

fee.
20

(d) For 24 hours of fishing by sport fishing devices
21

as defined in Section 10-95 or by spearing devices as
22

defined in Section 10-110 the fee is $5. This license does
23

not exempt the licensee from the requirement for a salmon
24

or inland trout stamp. The licenses provided for by this
25

subsection are not required for residents of the State of
26

Illinois who have obtained the license provided for in

SB3537
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LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b
1

subsection (a) or (a-3) of this Section.
2

(e) All residents before using any commercial mussel
3

device shall obtain a commercial mussel license, the fee
4

for which shall be $50.
5

(f) Residents of this State, upon establishing
6

residency as required by the Department, may obtain a
7

lifetime hunting or fishing license or lifetime
8

sportsmen's combination license which shall entitle the
9

holder to the same non-commercial fishing privileges as
10

residents holding a license as described in
subsection

11

paragraph
(a) of this Section and to the same hunting
12

privileges as residents holding a license to hunt all
13

species as described in Section 3.1 of the Wildlife Code.
14

No lifetime sportsmen's combination license shall be
15

issued to or retained by any individual who would be
16

ineligible for either the fishing or hunting license
17

separately, either upon issuance, or in any year a
18

violation would subject an individual to have either or
19

both fishing or hunting privileges rescinded. The lifetime
20

hunting and fishing license fees shall be as follows:
21

(1) Lifetime fishing: 30 x the current fishing
22

license fee.
23

(2) Lifetime hunting: 30 x the current hunting
24

license fee.
25

(3) Lifetime sportsmen's combination license: 30 x
26

the current sportsmen's combination license fee.

SB3537
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LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b
1

Lifetime licenses shall not be refundable. A $10 fee shall
2
be charged for reissuing any lifetime license. The Department
3
may establish rules and regulations for the issuance and use
4
of lifetime licenses and may suspend or revoke any lifetime
5
license issued under this Section for violations of those
6
rules or regulations or other provisions under this Code or
7
the Wildlife Code, or a violation of the United States Code
8
that involves the taking, possessing, killing, harvesting,
9
transportation, selling, exporting, or importing any fish or
10
aquatic life protected by this Code or the taking, possessing,
11
killing, harvesting, transportation, selling, exporting, or
12
importing any fauna protected by the Wildlife Code when any
13
part of the United States Code violation occurred in Illinois.
14
Individuals under 16 years of age who possess a lifetime
15
hunting or sportsmen's combination license shall have in their
16
possession, while in the field, a certificate of competency as
17
required under Section 3.2 of the Wildlife Code. Any lifetime
18
license issued under this Section shall not exempt individuals
19
from obtaining additional stamps or permits required under the
20
provisions of this Code or the Wildlife Code. Individuals
21
required to purchase additional stamps shall sign the stamps
22
and have them in their possession while fishing or hunting
23
with a lifetime license. All fees received from the issuance
24
of lifetime licenses shall be deposited in the Fish and
25
Wildlife Endowment Fund.
No fee under this subsection (f)
26
shall be charged to residents 65 years old or older.

SB3537
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LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b
1

Except for licenses issued under subsection (e) of this
2
Section, all licenses provided for in this Section shall
3
expire on March 31 of each year, except that the license
4
provided for in subsection (d) of this Section shall expire 24
5
hours after the effective date and time listed on the face of
6
the license. Licenses issued under subsection (a-3) or (c-5)
7
shall expire on March 31 of the 2nd year after the year in
8
which the license is issued.
9

The Department shall by administrative rule provide for
10
the automatic renewal of a fishing license upon the request of
11
the applicant.
12

All individuals required to have and failing to have the
13
license provided for in subsection (a), (a-3), or (d) of this
14
Section shall be fined according to the provisions of Section
15
20-35 of this Code.
16

All individuals required to have and failing to have the
17
licenses provided for in subsections (b) and (e) of this
18
Section shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
19

(g) For the purposes of this Section, "acceptable
20
verification" means official documentation from the Department
21
of Defense or the appropriate Major Command showing
22
mobilization dates or service abroad dates, including: (i) a
23
DD-214, (ii) a letter from the Illinois Department of Military
24
Affairs for members of the Illinois National Guard, (iii) a
25
letter from the Regional Reserve Command for members of the
26
Armed Forces Reserve, (iv) a letter from the Major Command

SB3537
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LRB104 17072 BDA 30487 b
1
covering Illinois for active duty members, (v) personnel
2
records for mobilized State employees, and (vi) any other
3
documentation that the Department, by administrative rule,
4
deems acceptable to establish dates of mobilization or service
5
abroad.
6

For the purposes of this Section, the term "service
7
abroad" means active duty service outside of the 50 United
8
States and the District of Columbia, and includes all active
9
duty service in territories and possessions of the United
10
States.
11
(Source: P.A. 102-780, eff. 5-13-22; 102-837, eff. 5-13-22;
12
103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-456, eff. 1-1-24; revised 7-3-25.)

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