ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

House: LARA DPA 5-3-0-1

HB 2588: wildlife; taking; landowner permits; rules

Sponsor: Representative Griffin, LD 19

Caucus & COW

Overview

Requires the Arizona Game and Fish Department (Department) to issue a landowner permit to take specified wildlife on private lands.

History

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission (Commission) is responsible for establishing the rules and regulations for managing, conserving and protecting wildlife. The Commission is comprised of five members appointed by the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, who serve five-year terms. The Department administers the rules and regulations as set by the Commission (A.R.S. §§ 17-201, 17-231 and 38-211).

The Commission is required to prescribe rules for license classifications that are valid for taking or handling of wildlife, fees for licenses, permits, tags and stamps and application fees. The Commission may temporarily reduce or waive fees prescribed by rule, on the recommendation of the Department Director. The Commission is required to submit an annual report on license classifications, fees for licenses, permits, tags and stamps and any other fees prescribed by rule to the Legislature by December 31 of each year. The Joint Legislative Audit Committee may assign a committee of reference to hold a public hearing and review of the annual reports submitted by the Commission (A.R.S. § 17-333).

Wildlife means all wild mammals, wild birds and the nests or eggs thereof, reptiles, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans and fish, including their eggs or spawn (A.R.S. § 17-101).

Provisions

1. Instructs the Department to issue a landowner permit for taking of elk, antelope, oryx and deer on private lands. (Sec. 1)

2. Allows the Department to adopt rules to expand the use of landowner permits to other species of wildlife. (Sec. 1)

3. Requires the Department, if the Commission determines necessary, to issue a landowner permit to reduce conflict between humans and wildlife and to provide sport hunting opportunities consistent with the rules adopted. (Sec. 1)

Amendments

Committee on Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

1. Restricts the Department from issuing landowner permits for a species if the total number of permits issued for that species exceeds 10% of the total number of tags issued for that species through the general lottery draw during the calendar year.

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5. HB 2588

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