Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie passed House Bill 5439 in the legislature on Apr. 9, aiming to address permitting issues related to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) as identified by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
The legislation is intended to help residents who hunt exclusively on their own land in areas where CWD has been confirmed. Under the bill, these hunters would be eligible for free deer permits if cases of CWD are present in the local deer population.
Chronic Wasting Disease is a disease affecting the central nervous system in deer. It was first detected in Boone County deer in 2002 and has continued to impact communities within McCombie’s district. The legislator said she has supported several initiatives over the years that incorporated public feedback into state policy for managing CWD.
“For more than two decades, chronic wasting disease has affected communities across northwest Illinois. This legislation is a fix to ensure we’re taking a balanced, practical approach to managing the issue at the state level, in a way landowners and hunters alike can engage,” McCombie said.
McCombie, a Republican, was elected to represent Illinois’ 89th House District in 2023 after replacing former state representative Andrew Chesney according to Ballotpedia.
House Bill 5439 passed unanimously in the Illinois House and will next be considered by the Senate.
