The Florida Senate

372.561  Issuance of licenses to take wild animal life or freshwater aquatic life; costs; reporting.--

(1)  The provisions of this section shall apply to such licenses or permits as are established in s. 372.57.

(2)  The commission shall issue licenses and permits to take wild animal life or freshwater aquatic life upon proof by the applicant for licensure that she or he is entitled to such license or permit. The commission shall establish the forms for such licenses and permits. Each applicant for a license, permit, or authorization shall provide the applicant's social security number on the application form. Disclosure of social security numbers obtained through this requirement shall be limited to the purpose of administration of the Title IV-D program for child support enforcement and use by the commission, and as otherwise provided by law.

(3)  Licenses and permits for the state may be sold by the commission, by any tax collector in this state, or by any appointed subagent.

(4)(a)  In addition to any license or permit fee, the sum of $1.50 shall be charged for each license or management area permit sold. Such charge is for the purpose of, and the source from which is subtracted, all administrative costs of issuing a license or permit, including, but not limited to, printing, distribution, and credit card fees.

(b)  Tax collectors may retain $1 for each license or management area permit sold.

(5)  Hunting and fishing licenses and permits shall be issued, without fee, to any resident who is certified to be totally and permanently disabled by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its predecessor, by the United States Social Security Administration, by any branch of the United States Armed Forces, or by the verified written statement which is based upon the criteria for permanent and total disability in chapter 440 of a physician licensed in this state or who holds a valid identification card issued under the provisions of s. 295.17, upon proof of same. Any license issued after January 1, 1997, expires after 5 years and must be reissued, upon request, every 5 years thereafter. A Disability Award Notice issued by the United States Social Security Administration is not sufficient certification for obtaining a permanent hunting and fishing license under this section unless said form certifies a resident is totally and permanently disabled.

(6)(a)  Tax collectors shall remit license and permit moneys, along with a report of funds collected and other required documentation, to the commission within 7 days following the last business day of the week in which the fees were received by the tax collector. The tax collector shall maintain records of all such licenses and permits which are sold, and all stamps issued voided, stolen, or lost. The tax collector is responsible to the commission for the fee for all licenses and permits sold and for the value of all stamps reported as lost. The tax collector shall report stolen permits to the appropriate law enforcement agency. The tax collector shall submit a written report and a copy of the law enforcement agency's report to the commission within 5 days after discovering the theft. The value of a validation stamp is $5.

(b)  Tax collectors are also responsible for fees for all licenses and permits sold by their subagents and for the value of all stamps reported as lost. The commission may adopt rules to implement this section.

(c)  Not later than August 15 of each year, each county tax collector shall submit to the commission all unissued stamps for the previous year along with a written audit report, on forms prescribed or approved by the commission, of the numbers of the unissued stamps.

(7)(a)  Each county tax collector, as issuing agent for the commission, shall submit to the commission by January 31, 1997, a report of the sale of, and payment for, all licenses and permits sold between June 1, 1996, and December 31, 1996.

(b)  By March 15, 1997, each county tax collector shall provide the commission with a written report, on forms provided by the commission, of the audit numbers of all unissued licenses and permits for the period of June 1, 1996, to December 31, 1996. Within 30 days after the submission of the annual audit report, each county tax collector shall provide the commission with a written audit report on unissued, sold, and voided licenses, permits, and stamps with a certified reconciliation statement prepared by a certified public accountant. Concurrent with the submission of the certification, the county tax collector shall remit to the commission the monetary value of all licenses, permits, and stamps that are unaccounted for. Each tax collector is also responsible for fees for all licenses, permits, and stamps distributed by him or her to subagents, sold by him or her, or reported by him or her as lost.

History.--s. 18, ch. 72-404; s. 2, ch. 85-235; s. 6, ch. 86-158; s. 2, ch. 87-261; s. 44, ch. 89-175; s. 11, ch. 90-243; s. 1, ch. 91-58; s. 3, ch. 91-78; s. 16, ch. 93-268; s. 574, ch. 95-148; s. 12, ch. 96-300; s. 15, ch. 98-397.