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 House Bill 4231 permits hunters to wear blaze pink clothing in
addition to blaze orange. Both colors of clothing are equally
visible to the human eye, however, deer are believed to be color
blind to red and can see very little orange or pink.
“We want to make sure that Illinoisans are able to hunt and
enjoy the outdoors safely,” Rauner said. “The new legislation
provides more variety in hunting gear while preventing tragic
hunting accidents in Illinois.”
Blaze orange clothing has been credited for a reduction in
hunting-related injuries and deaths.
“Blaze pink can be easier to see, making it a safer option when
hunters are in fields or woods,” said Sen. Neil Anderson,
R-Andalusia, who sponsored the legislation in the Senate. “At
the same time, many believe deer can’t see the pink color.
Giving hunters this option will only enhance their hunting
experience and improve safety.”
Wisconsin, Colorado, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York and Virginia
have also authorized fluorescent pink as an alternative color to
orange.
"Blaze pink laws have already passed in several other states, so
this change in the law sends the message that our hunting laws
put safety first,” said Rep. Dave Severin, R-Benton, lead House
sponsor of the bill. "This action gives the consumer a choice,
and though I'm no fashion expert, I believe blaze pink will look
good on sportsmen and women in Southern Illinois."
"As a lifelong hunter and supporter of the Second Amendment, I
was proud to help sponsor this important safety measure," said
Rep. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, House co-sponsor of the bill.
"Though I am quite partial to the color pink, the scientific
research I have seen shows that people see the color pink better
than the color orange. I am grateful that the governor
recognizes the importance of hunting safety and that hunting is
an important part of the culture and a tourism driver for
Southern Illinois."
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The initiative is supported by the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Illinois Legislative
Sportsmen’s Caucus. The new law takes effect Jan. 1, 2019.
House Bill 5317 requires people who illegally capture or kill
white-tailed antlered deer to pay restitution to DNR.
“White-tailed deer are the state mammal of Illinois
and a crucial part of our ecology. We must manage the deer
population responsibly so future generations of Illinoisans can
enjoy Illinois’ wildlife,” Rauner said. “Poaching is a serious crime
and should be punished accordingly. Illegal hunting hurts legitimate
sportsmen, deprives the state and local businesses of revenue
generated from hunting, and harms Illinois’ wildlife population.”
Supported by the DNR, the bill also raises the replacement value of
a variety of wildlife species. These values are used to determine
the legal and financial penalties for commercial hunting in
violation of the Illinois Wildlife Code.
"Hopefully, the increase in penalties will discourage and minimize
the need to kill animals for profit while increasing the value of
our wildlife,” said Sen. Napoleon Harris, D-Harvey, who sponsored
the legislation. “This legislation should also bring greater
awareness to our responsibility to protect our wildlife to ensure we
have a healthy population.”
House Bill 5317 is effective immediately.
[Office of the Governor Bruce Rauner] |
