HF 2215 (LSB 5519HV (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2215

BY  COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 553)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to natural resources, including office locations of the director of natural resources, state park user fee pilot programs, the delegation of powers and duties concerning state preserves, and age requirements for hunting deer with pistols or revolvers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 455A.4, subsection 1, paragraph h, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   h.  Maintain an office at or near the state capitol complex, which is office shall be open at all reasonable times for the conduct of public business.
    Sec. 2.  Section 456A.14, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   456A.14  Temporary appointments —— peace officer status.
   The director may appoint temporary officers for a period not to exceed six months and may adopt minimum physical, educational, mental, and moral requirements for the temporary officers. Chapter 80B does not apply to the temporary officers. Temporary officers have all the powers of peace officers in the enforcement of this chapter and chapters 321G, 321I, 456B, 461A, 461B, 462A, 462B, 465C, 481A, 481B, 482, 483A, 484A, and 484B, sections 455A.14A and 455A.14B, and the trespass laws.
    Sec. 3.  Section 465C.8, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   The department commission shall have the following powers and duties with respect to this chapter:
    Sec. 4.  Section 465C.9, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   465C.9  Articles of dedication.
   1.  The public agency or private owner shall complete articles of dedication on forms approved by the department commission. When the articles of dedication have been approved by the governor, the department commission shall record them with the county recorder for the county or counties in which the area is located.
   2.  The articles of dedication may contain restrictions on development, sale, transfer, method of management, public access, and commercial or other use, and may contain such other provisions as may be necessary to further the purposes of this chapter. They The articles may define the respective jurisdictions of the owner or operating agency and the department commission. They The articles may provide procedures to be applied in case of violation of the dedication. They The articles may recognize reversionary rights. They The articles may vary in provisions from one preserve to another in accordance with differences in relative conditions.
    Sec. 5.  Section 465C.10, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   465C.10  When dedicated as a preserve.
   An area shall become a preserve when it has been approved by the department commission for dedication as a preserve, whether in public or private ownership, formally dedicated as a preserve within the system by a public agency or private owner, and designated by the governor as a preserve.
    Sec. 6.  Section 465C.11, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   465C.11  Area held in trust.
   1.  An area designated as a preserve within the system is hereby declared put to its highest, best, and most important use for public benefit. It shall be held in trust and shall not be alienated except to another public use upon a finding by the department commission of imperative and unavoidable public necessity and with the approval of the commission, the general assembly by concurrent resolution, and the governor. The department’s commission’s interest or interests in any area designated as a preserve shall not be taken under the condemnation statutes of this state without such a finding of imperative and unavoidable public necessity by the department commission, and with the consent of the commission, the general assembly by concurrent resolution, and the governor.
   2.  The department commission, with the approval of the governor, may enter into amendments to any articles of dedication upon its finding that such amendment will not permit an impairment, disturbance, or development of the area inconsistent with the purposes of this chapter.
   3.  Before the department commission shall make a finding of imperative and unavoidable public necessity, or shall enter into any amendment to articles of dedication, the department commission shall provide notice of such proposal and opportunity for any person to be heard. Such notice shall be published at least once in a newspaper with a general circulation in the county or counties wherein the area directly affected is situated, and mailed within ten days of such published notice to all persons who have requested notice of all such proposed actions. Each notice shall set forth the substance of the proposed action and describe, with or without legal description, the area affected, and shall set forth a place and time not less than sixty days thence for all persons desiring to be heard to have reasonable opportunity to be heard prior to the finding of the department commission.
    Sec. 7.  Section 481A.48, subsection 5, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   5.  The commission shall establish one or more pistol or revolver seasons for hunting deer as separate firearm seasons or to coincide with one or more other firearm deer hunting seasons. Any pistol or revolver with a barrel length of at least four inches and firing straight wall or other centerfire ammunition propelling an expanding-type bullet with a maximum diameter of no less than three hundred fifty thousandths of one inch and no larger than five hundred thousandths of one inch and with a published or calculated muzzle energy of five hundred foot pounds or higher is legal for hunting deer during the pistol or revolver seasons. The commission shall adopt rules to allow black powder pistols or revolvers for hunting deer. The rules may limit types of projectiles. A person who is twenty years of age or less under the age of eighteen shall not hunt deer with a pistol or revolver unless that person is accompanied and under direct supervision throughout the hunt by a responsible person with a valid hunting license who is at least twenty-one years of age, with the consent of a parent, guardian, or spouse who is at least twenty-one years of age, pursuant to section 724.22, subsection 4. The responsible person with a valid hunting license who is at least twenty-one years of age shall be responsible for the conveyance of the pistol or revolver while the pistol or revolver is not actively being used for hunting. A person possessing a prohibited pistol or revolver while hunting deer commits a scheduled violation under section 805.8B, subsection 3, paragraph “h”, subparagraph (5).
    Sec. 8.  Section 805.8C, subsection 14, Code 2026, is amended by striking the subsection.
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 natural resources, including office locations for the director of the department of natural resources, state park user fee pilot programs, the delegation of powers and duties concerning state preserves, and age requirements for hunting deer with pistols or revolvers.
   The bill removes references to the Lake Manawa and Waubonsie state park user fee pilot programs that repealed by their own terms on December 31, 2025.
   Under current law, the director of the department of natural resources (DNR) must maintain an office at the state capitol. The bill allows the office to be at or near the state capitol.
   Under current law, DNR has certain powers and duties regarding state preserves. The bill transfers all these powers and duties to the natural resource commission.
   Under current law, a person who is 20 years of age of less is not allowed to hunt deer with a pistol or revolver unless accompanied by person who is at least 21 years of age with a valid hunting license and with the consent of a parent, guardian, or spouse who is at least 21 years of age. The bill changes the age threshold from 20 years of age or less to under the age of 18. The bill also makes corresponding changes to supervision requirements by allowing a person who is 18 years old or older with a valid hunting license and the required consent to supervise a person under the age of 18 in hunting deer with a pistol or revolver with certain limitations.