§ 20-2-31 - Hunting and fishing licenses – Exceptions.
SECTION 20-2-31
§ 20-2-31 Hunting and fishing licenses– Exceptions. – (a) Every valid license to hunt or fish in this state which is held by anyresident of this state upon joining the armed forces or the merchant marine ofthe United States is hereby extended and is in force and valid until six (6)months following the termination of his or her service.
(b) Every member of the armed forces or of the merchantmarine of the United States may hunt or fish in this state if that personprocures a hunting or fishing license issued by the state of Rhode Island, thefee for which is that charged for a resident civilian.
(c) Every man or woman who was a part of the armed forces ofthe United States government and is now a one hundred percent (100%) disabledveteran, and any man or woman who is one hundred percent (100%) permanentlydisabled, is entitled, subject to the provisions of this title, to receive alicense to hunt and/or fish in this state; and upon the presentation of his orher necessary military discharge identification and/or disability papers asprescribed by the department of environmental management shall, at thediscretion of the licensing authority, receive, without the payment of anylicense fee, a continuing special form of license authorizing the man or womanto hunt and/or fish in this state in accordance with the provisions of thistitle and regulations issued pursuant to this title for so long as he or she sodesires; provided, however, that the man or woman, having once made applicationfor this license, shall not again be required to appear before the licensingauthority to present his or her papers.
(d) A fresh water fishing license is not required of anyblind person. For the purposes of this section, a person is blind only if hisor her central visual acuity does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye withcorrecting lenses or if his or her visual acuity is greater than 20/200 but isaccompanied by a limitation in the fields of vision such that the widestdiameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than twenty degrees(20°).
(e) Every resident man or woman over the age of sixty-five(65) years is entitled, subject to the provisions of this title and theregulations issued pursuant to this title, to receive a special permanentlicense to hunt and/or fish in this state for which there is no fee.
(f) Any man or woman who is one hundred percent (100%)permanently disabled may apply to the clerk of any city or town to receive alicense to fish in this state and upon presentation of a proof of his or herdisability as prescribed by the department of environmental management receive,without the payment of any license fee, a continuing special form of licenseauthorizing the man or woman to fish in this state for so long as he or she sodesires; provided, however, that the man or woman, having once made applicationfor this license, shall not again be required to appear before the licensingauthority to present his or her papers.
(g) The director may by regulation designate no more than two(2) days in each year, which may or may not be consecutive, during whichresidents and non-residents may, without having a license and without paymentof any fee, exercise the privileges of a holder of a fresh water fishinglicense. These persons are subject to all other limitations, restrictions,conditions, laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the holder of a freshwater fishing license.
(h) For the purpose of this section "man or woman who is onehundred percent (100%) permanently disabled" means an individual who has aphysical or mental impairment and is receiving:
(1) Social security disability benefits (SSDI);
(2) Supplemental security income benefits (SSI).
All licenses which are issued to persons who qualify pursuantto this subsection shall be issued without the requirement of the payment of afee and shall expire annually on February 28 of each year. Persons seeking theissuance or reissuance of licenses shall be required to present documentationestablishing that the applicant is qualified, or remains qualified, pursuant tothis subsection.