Senate Study Bill 3176
SENATE FILE
BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
NATURAL RESOURCES AND
ENVIRONMENT BILL BY
CHAIRPERSON BLACK)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the deer depredation management program and
2 providing an effective date.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 481A.10A, Code 2007, is amended to read
1 2 as follows:
1 3 481A.10A FARMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
1 4 The director shall establish a farmer advisory committee
1 5 for the purpose of providing information to the department
1 6 regarding crop and tree damage caused by deer, wild turkey,
1 7 and other predators. Members of the committee shall include a
1 8 representative designated by each of the following
1 9 organizations: the Iowa corn growers association, the Iowa
1 10 farm bureau federation, the Iowa farmers union, the Iowa state
1 11 horticulture society, the Iowa Christmas tree growers
1 12 association, the department of agriculture and land
1 13 stewardship, and the Iowa state university agricultural
1 14 extension service. The committee shall meet with a
1 15 representative of the department of natural resources on a
1 16 quarterly basis. The committee shall serve without
1 17 compensation or reimbursement for expenses.
1 18 Sec. 2. Section 481C.2, Code 2007, is amended to read as
1 19 follows:
1 20 481C.2 DUTIES.
1 21 1. The director of the department of natural resources
1 22 shall enter into a memorandum of agreement with the United
1 23 States department of agriculture, animal damage control
1 24 division. The wild animal depredation unit shall serve and
1 25 act as the liaison to the department for the producers in the
1 26 state who suffer crop and, horticultural product, tree, or
1 27 nursery damage due to wild animals.
1 28 2. The department shall issue depredation permits to any
1 29 landowner who incurs crop and, horticultural product, tree, or
1 30 nursery damage of one thousand dollars or more due to wild
1 31 animals.
1 32 3. The criteria for issuing depredation permits shall be
1 33 established in administrative rules in consultation with the
1 34 farmer advisory committee created in section 481A.10A. The
1 35 administrative rules adopted pursuant to this section shall
2 1 not require a producer to erect or maintain fencing at a cost
2 2 exceeding one thousand dollars as a requisite for receiving a
2 3 depredation permit or for participation in a depredation plan.
2 4 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 481C.2A DEER DEPREDATION MANAGEMENT
2 5 PROGRAM == PERMITS.
2 6 1. Deer depredation permits shall be available for
2 7 issuance as follows:
2 8 a. Deer depredation permits shall be available for
2 9 issuance to resident and nonresident hunters. The nonresident
2 10 permits issued pursuant to this subsection shall be in
2 11 addition to the number of nonresident licenses authorized
2 12 pursuant to section 483A.8.
2 13 b. Permits issued pursuant to this subsection shall be
2 14 valid and may be used during any deer hunting season until a
2 15 deer has been harvested pursuant to the permit. Deer may be
2 16 harvested pursuant to the permit with a rifle in the southern
2 17 two tiers of counties during all regular gun seasons.
2 18 c. Permits issued pursuant to this subsection may be
2 19 transferred at any time to a resident or nonresident hunter
2 20 who has permission to hunt on the land for which the permit is
2 21 valid. A permit can only be transferred once. A producer who
2 22 is issued such a permit shall notify the department if the
2 23 permit is transferred, pursuant to a telephone or electronic
2 24 licensing system provided by the department. A transferee
2 25 shall be otherwise qualified to hunt deer in this state, have
2 26 a hunting license, pay the wildlife habitat fee, and pay the
2 27 one dollar fee for the purpose of the deer herd population
2 28 management program.
2 29 2. Deer shooting permits shall be available for issuance
2 30 as follows:
2 31 a. Deer shooting permits shall be available for issuance
2 32 to landowners who incur crop, horticultural product, tree, or
2 33 nursery damage as provided in section 481C.2 and shall be
2 34 available for issuance for use on areas where public safety
2 35 may be an issue.
3 1 b. Deer shooting permits issued pursuant to this
3 2 subsection shall be valid and may be used outside of
3 3 established deer hunting seasons.
3 4 3. Notwithstanding section 481C.2, subsection 3, a
3 5 producer shall not be required to erect or maintain fencing as
3 6 a requisite for receiving a deer depredation permit or for
3 7 participation in a deer depredation plan pursuant to this
3 8 section.
3 9 4. A person who harvests a deer with a depredation permit
3 10 or a shooting permit issued pursuant to this section shall
3 11 utilize the deer harvest reporting system set forth in section
3 12 483A.8A and shall not be subject to different disposal or
3 13 reporting requirements than are applicable to the harvest of
3 14 deer pursuant to other deer hunting licenses.
3 15 5. The department shall administer and enforce the
3 16 administrative rules concerning deer depredation, including
3 17 issuance of deer depredation permits and deer shooting
3 18 permits, that are established by the commission.
3 19 6. The department shall make educational materials that
3 20 explain the deer depredation management program available to
3 21 the general public, and available specifically to farmers and
3 22 farm and commodity organizations, in both electronic and
3 23 brochure formats by June 30, 2008.
3 24 7. The department shall conduct outreach programs for
3 25 farmers and farm and commodity organizations that explain the
3 26 deer depredation management program.
3 27 Sec. 4. Section 483A.24C, Code 2007, is repealed.
3 28 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of
3 29 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
3 30 EXPLANATION
3 31 This bill relates to harvesting deer pursuant to the
3 32 state's deer depredation management program.
3 33 Code section 481A.10A is amended to provide that the farmer
3 34 advisory committee established to provide information to the
3 35 department of natural resources about crop and tree damage
4 1 caused by wild animals shall include representatives
4 2 designated by specified organizations.
4 3 Code section 481C.2 is amended to provide that the wild
4 4 animal depredation program applies to damage to crops,
4 5 horticultural products, trees, and nurseries.
4 6 Code section 483A.24C concerning the deer depredation
4 7 management program is repealed and a new Code section 481C.2A
4 8 is added to Code chapter 481C concerning that program.
4 9 New Code section 481C.2A directs the natural resource
4 10 commission to make deer depredation permits and deer shooting
4 11 permits available for issuance that meet specified criteria.
4 12 A person who harvests a deer with such a permit must utilize
4 13 the deer harvest reporting system set forth in Code section
4 14 483A.8A. The department is also directed to make educational
4 15 materials that explain the deer depredation management program
4 16 available to the general public and specifically available to
4 17 farmers and farm and commodity organizations. The materials
4 18 must be available in electronic and brochure formats by June
4 19 30, 2008.
4 20 The bill is effective upon enactment.
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