| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to state forests; amending s. 589.19, |
| 3 | F.S.; requiring the designation of "Wounded Warrior |
| 4 | Special Hunt Areas" within state forests; limiting guest |
| 5 | admittance to such areas for eligible veterans and certain |
| 6 | persons; authorizing the Division of Forestry of the |
| 7 | Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to expend |
| 8 | funds received from private sources for specified purposes |
| 9 | and adopt rules; providing an effective date. |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Section 1. Subsection (4) is added to section 589.19, |
| 14 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 15 | 589.19 Creation of certain state forests; naming of |
| 16 | certain state forests.- |
| 17 | (4)(a) The Division of Forestry shall designate one or |
| 18 | more areas of state forests as a "Wounded Warrior Special Hunt |
| 19 | Area" to honor wounded veterans of the United States Armed |
| 20 | Forces. The purpose of such designated areas is to provide |
| 21 | special outdoor recreational opportunities for eligible |
| 22 | veterans. |
| 23 | (b) The division shall limit guest admittance to such |
| 24 | designated areas to persons who: |
| 25 | 1. Are veterans who served during a period of wartime |
| 26 | service as defined in s. 1.01(14) or peacetime service as |
| 27 | defined in s. 296.02; and |
| 28 | 2. Have a service-connected disability as determined by |
| 29 | the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or were |
| 30 | discharged or released from military service because of a |
| 31 | disability acquired or aggravated while serving on active duty. |
| 32 | (c) The division may grant admittance to such designated |
| 33 | areas to a person who is not an eligible veteran for purposes of |
| 34 | accompanying an eligible veteran who requires the person's |
| 35 | assistance to use such designated areas. |
| 36 | (d) The division may receive, administer, and expend any |
| 37 | gift, grant, or donation to fund specialized accommodations for |
| 38 | such designated areas from any private source, including, but |
| 39 | not limited to, Friends of Florida State Forests, Inc. |
| 40 | (e) The division may adopt rules to administer this |
| 41 | subsection. |
| 42 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011. |