§ 4254b. Therapeutic group fishing license

(a) As used in this section:

(1) "Health care professional" means an individual licensed or certified or otherwise authorized by Vermont law to provide professional health services.

(2) "Health service" means any treatment or procedure delivered by a health care professional to maintain an individual's physical or mental health or to diagnose or treat an individual's physical or mental health condition, including services ordered by a health care professional, chronic care management, preventive care, wellness services, and medically necessary services to assist in activities of daily living.

(3) "Individual representing a long-term care facility" means an employee of a long-term care facility or a person recognized as an official volunteer by the long-term care facility.

(4) "Long-term care facility" means any facility required to be licensed under 33 V.S.A. chapter 71 or a psychiatric facility with a long-term care unit required to be licensed under 18 V.S.A. chapter 43.

(b) The Commissioner may issue an annual therapeutic group fishing license to a health care professional or an individual representing a long-term care facility. A therapeutic group fishing license shall allow up to four persons per day to fish at one time provided that:

(1) the persons are under the care of a health care professional or are residing in a long-term care facility; and

(2) while fishing the persons are supervised by the health care professional or the individual representing a long-term care facility who was issued the therapeutic group fishing license.

(c) A person fishing under a therapeutic group fishing license shall not be required to obtain a fishing license under section 4251 of this title but shall be required to comply with all other requirements of this chapter, chapter 111 of this title, and the rules of the Board. When a person or group of persons is fishing under a therapeutic group fishing license, the person or group shall be accompanied at all times by the health care professional or the individual representing a long-term care facility to which the license was issued. The health care professional or individual representing a long-term care facility may assist persons fishing under the license with all aspects of fishing activity. The health care professional or individual representing a long-term care facility shall carry the license at all times while a person is fishing under the license and shall produce the license on demand by any fish and wildlife warden. (Added 2013, No. 78, § 8.)