HJ0065 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0065 LRB095 10875 CMK 36546 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois is one of the premiere white tailed deer hunting states in the nation; and

WHEREAS, During the 2006-07 deer seasons, hunters took approximately 197,000 deer; and

WHEREAS, A total of 67 counties were open to the Late-Winter Antlerless-only Deer Season, which is restricted to those counties that the Department of Natural Resources considers overpopulated; and

WHEREAS, Deer overpopulation is rampant in some counties in Illinois, causing accidents on our highways, increasing crop damage for Illinois farmers, and making it easier for disease and starvation to afflict our deer populations; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that 1.5 million car-deer crashes occur every year in the United States, causing more than 150 deaths and $1.1 billion in property damage; and

WHEREAS, Illinois had approximately 23,700 car-deer accidents in 2005; and

WHEREAS, In 2005, Illinois recorded 11 deaths from these accidents, nearly double the previous high of 6; and

WHEREAS, Eight of those killed were on motorcycles; and

WHEREAS, Car-deer accidents can occur almost anywhere, and urban areas are not immune; and

WHEREAS, Cook County topped Illinois with nearly 1,000 crashes in 2005, almost double the 572 recorded in Pike County, highly regarded by hunters for its share of the State's estimated 800,000 deer; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is established a Joint Task Force on Deer Population Control to examine and make recommendations on ways to manage the Illinois deer population; issues that shall be addressed include, but are not limited to, maintaining and increasing deer hunting opportunities in Illinois, reducing car-deer accidents and examining how these accidents affect insurance rates, reducing agricultural crop and other property damage, and maintaining and increasing the health of the Illinois deer herd; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall be under the Department of Natural Resources, which will provide staff support; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Joint Task Force shall include: the chairmen and minority spokesmen of the House and Senate Agriculture and Conservation Committees or their designees; one member appointed by the President of the Senate; one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one member appointed by the Speaker of the House; one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House; the Director of Natural Resources or his or her designee; one member representing conservation police officers appointed by the Director of Natural Resources; the Director of State Police or his or her designee; one member appointed by an association representing firearm deer hunters; one member appointed by an association representing Illinois archery deer hunters; one member appointed by an association representing the insurance industry; and one member appointed by an association representing farmers; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Director of Natural Resources shall serve as the Chair; the Joint Task Force shall meet with the call of the Chair; and the members shall serve without compensation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House by January 1, 2009; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to the Director of Natural Resources.