Bill
SB 3156
SB3156 provides no-cost fishing and hunting licenses for resident Gold Star Family members, contingent on DNR verification rules.
Title: FISH/HUNT-GOLD STAR FAMILY
Jurisdiction: Illinois
Introduced: February 2, 2026
Sponsor: Sen. Neil Anderson (co-sponsor listed)
Effective date: Immediate upon becoming law
Overall purpose
- To provide no-cost fishing and hunting licenses for resident Gold Star Family members and to specify rules for qualifying verification.
- The bill amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code and the Wildlife Code to create and implement this benefit, while maintaining existing license structures and fees for other residents, veterans, seniors, and nonresidents.
Key provisions and changes
1) Gold Star Family license fee waivers
- Section: Fish and Aquatic Life Code (Sec. 20-45) and Wildlife Code (Sec. 3.2)
- Policy change: There is no fee for:
- An annual fishing license
- A 3-year fishing license
- A resident sportsmen’s combination license
- A 3-year sportsmen’s combination license
- A hunting license to hunt all species (under the Wildlife Code)
- Eligibility and verification:
- Gold Star Family members must be verified by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at any of the DNR’s five regional offices.
- The bill directs the Department to adopt rules establishing:
- Who qualifies as a Gold Star Family member
- What constitutes suitable verification
- Definition: A Gold Star Family member is an immediate relative of a United States Armed Forces member who died in battle or in support of military activities (examples include parent, child, brother, sister, or other loved one).
- Administrative rules: DNR to specify acceptable verification methods (e.g., official documentation of service or mobilization).
2) Verification mechanics
- The term “acceptable verification” includes documents such as:
- DD-214, Department of Defense letters, National Guard/Reserve/Active Duty confirmations, mobilization records, or other documentation deemed acceptable by administrative rule.
- “Service abroad” and mobilization definitions align with typical active-duty or overseas deployment contexts.
3) Interaction with existing licenses and categories
- The bill preserves existing fee structures for most residents and nonresidents, veterans, seniors, and other categories, except for the Gold Star Family waivers.
- All other license types (annual, 3-year, combination licenses, and hunting licenses for other residents) retain current statutory formulations and expiration rules, aside from Gold Star waivers.
4) License issuance and expiration
- Expires: With other standard license expiration patterns unless otherwise stated:
- Most licenses expire March 31 of the year (or second year after issuance for some 3-year licenses per the current structure).
- 24-hour fishing licenses under subsection (d) have a 24-hour expiration.
- Renewal: The Department may provide for automatic renewal upon applicant request.
5) Penalties and enforcement
- Failing to obtain required licenses still subjects violators to penalties:
- Subsection (f) outlines typical license penalties and misdemeanor classifications for missing or failing to possess required licenses or stamps (consistent with existing statute structure).
Impacted parties
Procedural and timeline notes
Bottom line
- SB3156 creates a no-cost licensing pathway for resident Gold Star Family members across fishing and hunting license products (annual and 3-year) and sportsmen’s licenses, contingent on verification rules established by the Department of Natural Resources. It preserves existing fee structures for other residents and nonresidents and adds a clear verification framework for Gold Star status.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
Sign in to ask a question.
