House File 22 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 22 BY COLLINS A BILL FOR An Act relating to the allocation of nonresident deer hunting 1 licenses and including effective date provisions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1045YH (2) 91 sb/js

H.F. 22 Section 1. Section 483A.8, subsection 3, paragraph c, Code 1 2025, is amended to read as follows: 2 c. The commission shall annually limit to six thousand the 3 number of nonresidents allowed to have antlered or any sex deer 4 hunting licenses. Of the six thousand nonresident antlered or 5 any sex deer hunting licenses issued, not less than six hundred 6 of the licenses shall be reserved for nonresident landowners 7 with at least forty acres of land zoned for agricultural 8 purposes in this state. If fewer than six hundred nonresidents 9 apply for a reserved license by the application deadline set by 10 the commission by rule, any license not issued shall be made 11 available for purchase at the same time and in the same manner 12 as other excess nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting 13 licenses. Not more than thirty-five percent of the issued 14 reserved licenses shall be bow season licenses. Of the six 15 thousand remaining nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting 16 licenses issued, not more than thirty-five percent of the 17 licenses shall be bow season licenses. After the six thousand 18 antlered or any sex nonresident deer hunting licenses have been 19 issued, all additional licenses shall be issued for antlerless 20 deer only. The commission shall annually determine the number 21 of nonresident antlerless deer only deer hunting licenses that 22 will be available for issuance. 23 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 24 EXPLANATION 25 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 26 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 27 This bill relates to nonresident deer hunting licenses 28 issued by the natural resource commission (NRC). Currently, 29 NRC issues up to 6,000 antlered or any sex deer hunting 30 licenses to nonresidents, which are allocated among zones 31 based on deer populations. Not more than 35 percent of the 32 licenses shall be bow season licenses. The bill requires NRC 33 to reserve 600 of the nonresident antlered or any sex deer 34 hunting licenses for nonresidents who own at least 40 acres of 35 -1- LSB 1045YH (2) 91 sb/js 1/ 2

H.F. 22 land zoned for agricultural purposes in the state. If fewer 1 than 600 nonresidents apply for a reserved license by the 2 application deadline set by NRC, the excess reserved licenses 3 shall be available for purchase in the same manner as other 4 excess nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses. 5 Not more than 35 percent of the issued reserved licenses and 6 not more than 35 percent of the remaining licenses shall be bow 7 season licenses. 8 The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026. 9 -2- LSB 1045YH (2) 91 sb/js 2/ 2