SF 2344 (LSB 5678SV (3) 89)

SENATE FILE 2344

BY  COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 2142)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to deer hunting licenses available to nonresident hunters.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 483A.8, subsection 3, paragraphs c and e, Code 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   c.  The commission shall annually limit to six seven thousand five hundred the number of nonresidents allowed to have antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses. Of the six seven thousand five hundred nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses issued, not more than thirty-five percent of the licenses shall be bow season licenses. After the six seven thousand five hundred antlered or any sex nonresident deer hunting licenses have been issued, all additional licenses shall be issued for antlerless deer only. The commission shall annually determine the number of nonresident antlerless deer only deer hunting licenses that will be available for issuance.
   e.  The commission shall assign one preference point to a nonresident whose application for a nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting license is denied due to limitations on the number of nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses available for issuance that year. An additional preference point shall be assigned to that person each subsequent year the person’s license application is denied for that reason. A nonresident may purchase additional preference points pursuant to rules adopted pursuant to section 483A.1. The first department shall use a random draw process that is weighted to favor applicants with the most preference points to assign nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting license drawing each year shall be made from the pool of applicants with the most preference points and continue to pools of applicants with successively fewer preference points licenses until all available nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses have been issued. If a nonresident applicant receives an antlered or any sex deer hunting license, all of the applicant’s assigned preference points at that time shall be removed.
    Sec. 2.  Section 483A.8, subsection 3, Code 2022, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  f.  If a nonresident hunting deer while using the antlerless deer only deer hunting license and tag required to be purchased pursuant to paragraph “b” takes an antlerless deer in a zone that is above the population goal determined by the commission by rule, the commission shall assign one preference point to the nonresident, which shall be in addition to any preference points acquired pursuant to paragraph “e”. The department shall determine a method for verifying a harvest pursuant to this paragraph.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to deer hunting licenses available to nonresident hunters.
   Currently, the natural resource commission (NRC) issues up to 6,000 antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses to nonresidents. The bill increases that amount to 7,500. The bill requires NRC to use a random draw process that is weighted to favor applicants with the most preference points to assign nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses until all available nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses have been issued.
   The bill provides that when a nonresident uses the antlerless deer only deer hunting license and tag that the nonresident is required to purchase with an antlered or any sex deer hunting license to take an antlerless deer in a zone that is above the population goal determined by NRC, then NRC will assign one preference point to the nonresident, which shall be in addition to any preference points purchased or acquired after failing to obtain an antlered or any sex deer hunting license from a drawing. The department of natural resources shall determine a method for verifying a harvest in a zone that is above the population goal.