HB5309 amends the Illinois Wildlife Code to remove the mute swan from the list of protected wildlife species. The bill revises Section 2.2 to specifically exclude Cygnus olor from the category of protected waterfowl, while leaving the rest of the wildlife classifications and protections intact. It continues to define which birds and mammals are covered by the Act and preserves the general prohibition on taking, possessing, selling, propagating, or releasing protected wildlife, as well as the existing exception for bona fide public, state scientific, educational, or zoological institutions that receive salvaged or legally obtained specimens.
The bill also maintains the rule that taking any other living wildlife animal not covered by the Act requires permission from the landowner or tenant. Its effective date is January 1, 2028, giving time for implementation before the change takes effect. In practical terms, the measure narrows the scope of protected species under Illinois wildlife law by carving out the mute swan from the statutory wildlife protections.
Impact
HB5309 changes the Wildlife Code by amending the statutory list of protected species in 520 ILCS 5/2.2. The main legal effect is to exclude the mute swan (Cygnus olor) from the protected waterfowl category, which means the species would no longer receive the same statewide protections against taking, possession, sale, propagation, or release into the wild under that section. The bill does not otherwise alter the broader structure of the Wildlife Code or the rules governing other protected birds and mammals.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcripts and no recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be a targeted wildlife-management change rather than a broad policy overhaul. The absence of recorded discussion suggests sentiment cannot be measured from the provided history, though the bill’s narrow scope indicates it was likely intended as a technical or species-specific adjustment.
Contention
The likely point of contention is the removal of the mute swan from protected status. Supporters would view this as a wildlife-management or conservation-policy correction, while opponents could see it as reducing protections for a bird species and potentially enabling broader control, removal, or hunting-related activity. Because there are no transcripts or votes in the record provided, the specific arguments and the identities of supporters or critics are not documented here.