1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to game and fish; requiring that ten percent 
  1.3             of game refuge deer hunting permits be issued to the 
  1.4             elderly and disabled; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.5             1998, section 97A.091, subdivision 2. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 97A.091, 
  1.8   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 2.  [WHEN HUNTING ALLOWED.] (a) The commissioner may 
  1.10  allow hunting of a protected wild animal species within any 
  1.11  portion of a state game refuge, including a state park.  Hunting 
  1.12  may be allowed under this paragraph only if the commissioner 
  1.13  finds: 
  1.14     (1) the population of the species exceeds the refuge's 
  1.15  carrying capacity; 
  1.16     (2) the species is causing substantial damage to 
  1.17  agricultural or forest crops in the vicinity; 
  1.18     (3) the species or other protected wild animals are 
  1.19  threatened by the species population; or 
  1.20     (4) a harvestable surplus of the species exists.  
  1.21     (b) The commissioner may allow hunting of unprotected wild 
  1.22  animals in a game refuge. 
  1.23     (c) The commissioner may prescribe rules for any hunting 
  1.24  allowed within a refuge.  
  1.25     (d) In any selection process for permits to take deer 
  2.1   within a game refuge, the commissioner may shall designate a 
  2.2   certain number at least ten percent of the available permits 
  2.3   that are available only to be issued to applicants who are 
  2.4   age 70 65 or over or who are qualified for a special permit 
  2.5   under section 97B.055, subdivision 3, or 97B.106.