House File 484 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  LUKAN, BAUDLER, RAYHONS,
                                           CHAMBERS, MAY, and
                                           HOFFMAN


    Passed House, Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act prohibiting remote control or internet hunting of wild
  2    animals and providing penalties.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 2421YH 82
  5 av/gg/14

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  481A.125A  REMOTE CONTROL OR
  1  2 INTERNET HUNTING == CRIMINAL AND CIVIL PENALTIES.
  1  3    1.  As used in this section, "remote control or internet
  1  4 hunting" means use of a computer or other electronic device,
  1  5 equipment, or software to remotely control the aiming or
  1  6 discharge of a firearm or other weapon, allowing a person who
  1  7 is not physically present to take a wild animal.
  1  8    2.  A person shall not offer for sale, take, or assist in
  1  9 the taking of a wild animal by remote control or internet
  1 10 hunting.
  1 11    3.  A person who violates this section is guilty of a
  1 12 serious misdemeanor.  A second or subsequent violation of this
  1 13 section is punishable as a class "D" felony.
  1 14    4.  In addition, any person who violates this section is
  1 15 subject to a civil penalty, which may be levied by the
  1 16 department, of not more than ten thousand dollars for each
  1 17 violation of this section.  The moneys collected from
  1 18 imposition of a civil penalty shall be deposited in the state
  1 19 fish and game protection fund.
  1 20                           EXPLANATION
  1 21    This bill prohibits offering for sale, taking, or assisting
  1 22 in taking a wild animal by use of remote control or internet
  1 23 hunting.  For the purposes of the bill, "remote control or
  1 24 internet hunting" means use of a computer or other electronic
  1 25 device, equipment, or software to remotely control the aiming
  1 26 or discharge of a firearm or other weapon, allowing a person
  1 27 who is not physically present to take a wild animal.
  1 28    A person who violates the provisions of the bill is guilty
  1 29 of a serious misdemeanor.  A serious misdemeanor is punishable
  1 30 by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at
  1 31 least $315 but not more than $1,875.
  1 32    A second or subsequent violation of the bill is punishable
  1 33 as a class "D" felony.  A class "D" felony is punishable by
  1 34 confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least
  1 35 $750 but not more than $7,500.
  2  1    In addition, any person who violates the provisions of the
  2  2 bill is subject to a civil penalty, which may be levied by the
  2  3 department of natural resources, of not more than $10,000 for
  2  4 each violation.  Moneys collected from imposition of a civil
  2  5 penalty shall be deposited in the state fish and game
  2  6 protection fund.
  2  7 LSB 2421YH 82
  2  8 av:nh/gg/14