S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________

                                        656--A
           Cal. No. 11

                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                                   I N  S E N A T E

                                      (PREFILED)

                                    January 5, 2011
                                      ___________

       Introduced  by  Sens.  VALESKY,  BALL, RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered
         printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environ-
         mental Conservation -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered
         to first and second report, ordered to  a  third  reading,  passed  by
         Senate  and  delivered  to  the Assembly, recalled, vote reconsidered,
         restored to third reading, amended and  ordered  reprinted,  retaining
         its place in the order of third reading

       AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to fish-
         ing  events  as  rehabilitation for members of the United States armed
         forces

         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

    1    Section  1.  Subdivision  16  of  section 11-0305 of the environmental
    2  conservation law, as added by chapter 292 of the laws  of  1996  and  as
    3  renumbered  by section 2 of part F of chapter 82 of the laws of 2002, is
    4  amended to read as follows:
    5    16. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, to authorize no
    6  more than four free sport fishing clinics in each year for each separate
    7  administrative region of the department, provided however  that  nothing
    8  in  this subdivision shall preclude the department from conducting addi-
    9  tional free sport fishing clinics during free sport fishing days  desig-
   10  nated  by the commissioner pursuant to subdivision [fifteen] FOURTEEN of
   11  this section. A free sport fishing clinic  shall  include,  but  not  be
   12  limited  to,  instruction  provided  by  employees  of the department in
   13  recreational angling, including its benefits and values,  and  may  also
   14  include  instruction  and other information relevant to an understanding
   15  of fisheries management, ethics and  aquatic  ecology  and  habitat.  No
   16  license  is  required  to  take fish by angling while participating in a
   17  fishing clinic conducted by the department that has been  designated  by
   18  the  commissioner  as a free sport fishing clinic. Such clinics shall be

        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD03515-03-1

       S. 656--A                           2

    1  implemented in a manner determined by the  department  to  best  provide
    2  public  notice  thereof and to maximize public participation therein, so
    3  as to promote the recreational opportunities afforded by sport  fishing.
    4  FURTHER, THE COMMISSIONER MAY DESIGNATE ADDITIONAL FISHING EVENTS ORGAN-
    5  IZED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT THAT PROVIDE PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL REHABILI-
    6  TATION  FOR  VETERANS,  AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION THREE OF SECTION THREE
    7  HUNDRED FIFTY OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW, OR ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS OF THE  ARMED
    8  FORCES  OF THE UNITED STATES, AS DEFINED IN 10 U.S.C. SECTION 101(D)(1).
    9  NO LICENSE SHALL BE REQUIRED FOR SUCH VETERANS OR ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS TO
   10  TAKE FISH BY ANGLING WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THESE EVENTS.
   11    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.