PRINTER'S NO. 264

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 235 Session of 2003


        INTRODUCED BY HICKERNELL, B. SMITH, TRUE, ARMSTRONG, BALDWIN,
           BOYD, CREIGHTON, BAKER, BASTIAN, DeWEESE, FAIRCHILD, FORCIER,
           GEIST, GEORGE, GILLESPIE, GOODMAN, HENNESSEY, HERMAN,
           HERSHEY, HESS, HORSEY, KELLER, McILHATTAN, McNAUGHTON,
           S. MILLER, NAILOR, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, SATHER, SAYLOR, SHANER,
           SOLOBAY, STERN, THOMAS, TIGUE AND ZUG, FEBRUARY 11, 2003

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAME AND FISHERIES, FEBRUARY 11, 2003

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
     2     Statutes, further providing for the age of holders of
     3     falconry permits and for disabled person permits.

     4     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     5  hereby enacts as follows:
     6     Section 1.  Section 2901 of Title 34 of the Pennsylvania
     7  Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subsection to read:
     8  § 2901.  Authority to issue permits.
     9     * * *
    10     (e)  Falconry permits.--Notwithstanding the provisions of
    11  subsection (a), falconry permits may be issued only to persons
    12  who are residents of this Commonwealth and 16 years of age or
    13  older.
    14     Section 2.  Section 2923(a) of Title 34 is amended to read:
    15  § 2923.  Disabled person permits.
    16     (a)  Use of vehicle as a blind.--


     1         (1)  Unless further restricted by commission regulation,
     2     a lifetime permit to hunt from a stationary vehicle may be
     3     issued to a person with permanent disabilities who qualified
     4     for a hunting license pursuant to Chapter 27 (relating to
     5     hunting and furtaking licenses) or who possesses a junior
     6     resident license under section 2705(2) (relating to classes
     7     of licenses) and who meets any of the following requirements:
     8             (i)  [Has paraplegia and has permanent paralysis of
     9         both legs and lower parts of the body.] Has a permanent
    10         or irreversible physical disability, and is unable to
    11         ambulate and requires a wheelchair, walker, one leg brace
    12         or external prosthesis above the knee, two leg braces or
    13         external prostheses below the knees, two crutches or two
    14         canes for mobility.
    15             (ii)  [Has hemiplegia and has permanent paralysis of
    16         one leg and one arm on either side of the body.] Suffers
    17         significantly from lung disease, to the extent that
    18         forced expiratory volume for one second when measured by
    19         spirometry is less than one liter or the arterial oxygen
    20         tension (po) is less than 60 millimeters of mercury on
    21         room air at rest. This subparagraph would also apply to
    22         someone who is oxygen dependent 24 hours a day, 7 days a
    23         week.
    24             (iii)  [Has both feet or one hand and one foot
    25         amputated.] Suffers significantly from cardiovascular
    26         disease, to the extent that functional limitations are
    27         classified in severity as class 3 or 4, according to the
    28         current standards accepted by the American Heart
    29         Association and where ordinary physical activity results
    30         in fatigue, palpitation, dyspnea or anginal pain.
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     1             (iv)  [Is permanently confined to a wheelchair or
     2         must use crutches or a walker as a means of support to
     3         pursue daily activities.] Has a disability or combination
     4         of disabilities creating a minimum impairment of function
     5         of or equivalent to no less than 90% loss of function in
     6         one leg or no more than 10% maximal functional use in one
     7         leg regardless of the functional level of the other leg.
     8             [(v)  Presents an affidavit and doctor's certificate
     9         stating the applicant is physically unable to walk 25
    10         yards off the roadway.]
    11         (2)  Unless further restricted by commission regulation,
    12     a permit to hunt from a stationary vehicle may be issued to a
    13     person who qualified for a hunting license pursuant to
    14     Chapter 27 and presents an affidavit and doctor's certificate
    15     stating the applicant [is unable to walk 25 yards off the
    16     roadway due to a temporary injury or condition and may
    17     require an external means of support to ambulate.] has a
    18     temporary disability that restricts mobility or ambulation of
    19     any distance due to illness or injury and operative
    20     procedures and who either has a leg, hip or back, or any part
    21     thereof, casted by a licensed physician due to a fracture or
    22     has leg, hip or back surgery. This permit is only valid for
    23     the license year in which issued.
    24         (3)  Permittees shall carry the permit upon their person
    25     while hunting. Any person named on this permit may hunt while
    26     using an automobile or other vehicle as a blind. The
    27     permittee shall not use the vehicle to flush or locate game.
    28     The vehicle may be used only as a blind or platform from
    29     which to shoot. The firearm shall be unloaded at all times
    30     while the vehicle is in motion.
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     1         (4)  Any person who possesses a junior resident license
     2     under section 2705(2) and otherwise qualifies for a disabled
     3     person permit must comply with section 2711(a)(8) (relating
     4     to unlawful acts concerning licenses). Any parent or person
     5     18 years of age or older serving in loco parentis or as
     6     guardian or some other family member 18 years of age or older
     7     shall not use a vehicle as a blind unless that person meets
     8     the requirements of this section.
     9     * * *
    10     Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.














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