HF 22 (LSB 1045YH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 22

BY  COLLINS

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the allocation of nonresident deer hunting licenses and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 483A.8, subsection 3, paragraph c, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   c.  The commission shall annually limit to six thousand the number of nonresidents allowed to have antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses.  Of the six thousand nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses issued, not less than six hundred of the licenses shall be reserved for nonresident landowners with at least forty acres of land zoned for agricultural purposes in this state. If fewer than six hundred nonresidents apply for a reserved license by the application deadline set by the commission by rule, any license not issued shall be made available for purchase at the same time and in the same manner as other excess nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses. Not more than thirty-five percent of the issued reserved licenses shall be bow season licenses. Of the six thousand remaining 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 thousand 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.
    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect July 1, 2026.
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 nonresident deer hunting licenses issued by the natural resource commission (NRC). Currently, NRC issues up to 6,000 antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses to nonresidents, which are allocated among zones based on deer populations. Not more than 35 percent of the licenses shall be bow season licenses. The bill requires NRC to reserve 600 of the nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses for nonresidents who own at least 40 acres of land zoned for agricultural purposes in the state. If fewer than 600 nonresidents apply for a reserved license by the application deadline set by NRC, the excess reserved licenses shall be available for purchase in the same manner as other excess nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses. Not more than 35 percent of the issued reserved licenses and not more than 35 percent of the remaining licenses shall be bow season licenses.
   The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.