House File 42 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY WHITAKER
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to hunting by artificial light.
2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
3 TLSB 1217HH 81
4 av/gg/14
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 481A.93, Code 2005, is amended by
1 2 striking the section and inserting in lieu thereof the
1 3 following:
1 4 481A.93 HUNTING BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.
1 5 1. Except as provided in subsection 2, a person, either
1 6 singly or as one of a group of persons, shall not throw or
1 7 cast the rays of a spotlight, headlight, or other artificial
1 8 light on a highway or in a field, woodland, or forest for the
1 9 purpose of spotting, locating, or taking or attempting to
1 10 take, or hunting a bird or animal.
1 11 2. Subsection 1 does not apply to the following persons:
1 12 a. A person, either singly or as one of a group of
1 13 persons, who from February 1 through August 31 uses an
1 14 artificial light on a highway or in a field, woodland, or
1 15 forest if the person does not have in the person's immediate
1 16 possession a firearm, bow, or other implement or device by
1 17 which a bird or animal could be killed or taken.
1 18 b. A person who is hunting raccoons or other fur=bearing
1 19 animals and uses an artificial light when those animals are
1 20 treed with the aid of a dog.
1 21 c. A person who uses an artificial light within the
1 22 corporate limits of a city while hunting deer under the
1 23 direction of the city pursuant to an approved special deer
1 24 control plan.
1 25 d. A landowner or tenant using an artificial light to
1 26 search for domestic livestock or carry out normal agricultural
1 27 operations on land owned or leased by the owner or tenant.
1 28 e. A worker in the performance of the worker's duties.
1 29 EXPLANATION
1 30 This bill prohibits the use of a spotlight, headlight, or
1 31 other artificial light on a highway, or in a field, woodland,
1 32 or forest for the purpose of spotting, locating, or taking or
1 33 attempting to take, or hunting a bird or animal except under
1 34 certain specific circumstances. Those circumstances are: the
1 35 person using an artificial light is not in possession of a
2 1 firearm, bow, or other implement to take or kill a bird or
2 2 animal and the light is used during the period of time from
2 3 February 1 through August 31; a person is hunting raccoons or
2 4 other fur=bearing animals and uses an artificial light when
2 5 those animals are treed with the aid of a dog; a person uses
2 6 an artificial light within the corporate limits of a city
2 7 while hunting deer under the direction of the city pursuant to
2 8 an approved special deer control plan; a landowner or tenant
2 9 uses an artificial light to search for domestic livestock or
2 10 to carry out normal agricultural operations on land owned or
2 11 leased by the landowner or tenant; or a worker uses artificial
2 12 light in the performance of the worker's duties.
2 13 A violation of this provision is a scheduled fine of $100.
2 14 LSB 1217HH 81
2 15 av/gg/14