House File 2254 HOUSE FILE BY OSTERHAUS and BUKTA Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the discharge of a firearm on a public hunting 2 area. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5716HH 80 5 av/pj/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 481A.123, Code 2003, is amended by 1 2 adding the following new subsection: 1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 3. This section does not apply to the 1 4 discharge of a firearm on premises posted as a public hunting 1 5 area, if the premises were posted as a public hunting area 1 6 prior to the erection of a building inhabited by people or 1 7 domestic livestock, or prior to the construction of a feedlot, 1 8 located within two hundred yards of the public hunting area. 1 9 This subsection applies only to the erection of a building 1 10 inhabited by people or domestic livestock or to the 1 11 construction of a feedlot located within two hundred yards of 1 12 a public hunting area, which erection or construction occurs 1 13 on or after the effective date of this Act. 1 14 As used in this subsection, "public hunting area" means 1 15 public lands or waters available for hunting by the public and 1 16 established and posted by the commission as a public hunting 1 17 area. 1 18 EXPLANATION 1 19 This bill provides that discharging a firearm on premises 1 20 posted as a public hunting area is exempt from the requirement 1 21 that a firearm cannot be discharged within 200 yards of a 1 22 building inhabited by people or domestic livestock, or of a 1 23 feedlot, unless the owner or tenant has given consent, if the 1 24 premises were posted as a public hunting area prior to the 1 25 erection of such a building or construction of such a feedlot. 1 26 The bill applies only to the erection of such a building or 1 27 construction of such a feedlot that occurs on or after the 1 28 effective date of the bill. For purposes of the bill, "public 1 29 hunting area" means public lands or waters available for 1 30 hunting by the public and established and posted by the 1 31 natural resource commission as a public hunting area. A 1 32 violation of Code section 481A.123 is punishable by a 1 33 scheduled fine of $25 under Code section 805.8B. 1 34 LSB 5716HH 80 1 35 av/pj/5