House Study Bill 251 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WULF) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the allocation of nonresident deer hunting 1 licenses. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2866YC (1) 91 sb/js

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 483A.8, subsection 3, paragraph c, Code 1 2025, is amended to read as follows: 2 c. (1) (a) The commission shall annually limit to six 3 thousand the number of nonresidents allowed to have antlered 4 or any sex deer hunting licenses. Of the six thousand 5 nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses issued, 6 five hundred of the licenses shall be reserved for nonresidents 7 who have made a reservation with an outfitter that is currently 8 registered as a business entity with the secretary of state and 9 has maintained registration since prior to July 1, 2024, as 10 proven by a certification from the outfitter. A nonresident 11 may only receive one license under this subsection. If fewer 12 than five hundred nonresidents apply for a reserved license by 13 the application deadline set by the commission by rule, any 14 license not issued shall be made available for purchase at the 15 same time and in the same manner as other excess nonresident 16 antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses. Not more than 17 thirty-five percent of the issued reserved licenses shall be 18 bow season licenses. The nonresident’s license application 19 shall include evidence that the reservation is scheduled during 20 a period in which the license is valid. Of the six thousand 21 remaining nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses 22 issued, not more than thirty-five percent of the licenses shall 23 be bow season licenses. 24 (b) For purposes of this subparagraph, “outfitter” means a 25 business that offers any of the following services in relation 26 to hunting: 27 (i) Transportation services for individuals, equipment, 28 supplies, or wildlife by means of a vehicle, vessel, or pack 29 animal. 30 (ii) Facilities services including but not limited to 31 providing tents, cabins, camp gear, food, or similar supplies, 32 equipment, or accommodations. 33 (iii) Guiding, leading, packing, protecting, supervising, 34 instructing, or training individuals or groups in the take or 35 -1- LSB 2866YC (1) 91 sb/js 1/ 2

H.F. _____ attempted take of wildlife. 1 (2) After the six thousand antlered or any sex nonresident 2 deer hunting licenses have been issued, all additional licenses 3 shall be issued for antlerless deer only. The commission shall 4 annually determine the number of nonresident antlerless deer 5 only deer hunting licenses that will be available for issuance. 6 EXPLANATION 7 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 8 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 9 This bill relates to nonresident deer hunting licenses 10 issued by the natural resource commission. Currently, the 11 commission issues up to 6,000 antlered or any sex deer hunting 12 licenses to nonresidents, which are allocated among zones based 13 on deer populations. Not more than 35 percent of the licenses 14 shall be bow season licenses. The bill requires the commission 15 to reserve 500 of the nonresident antlered or any sex deer 16 hunting licenses for nonresidents who have made a reservation 17 with an outfitter, as defined in the bill, that is currently 18 registered as a business entity with the secretary of state 19 and has maintained registration since prior to July 1, 2024. 20 The bill prohibits a nonresident from receiving more than one 21 license issued under Code section 483A.8(3). If fewer than 500 22 nonresidents apply for a reserved license by the application 23 deadline set by the commission, the excess reserved licenses 24 shall be available for purchase in the same manner as other 25 excess nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses. 26 A nonresident’s license application shall include evidence 27 that the reservation is scheduled for a time during which the 28 license is valid. Not more than 35 percent of the issued 29 reserved licenses and not more than 35 percent of the remaining 30 licenses shall be bow season licenses. 31 -2- LSB 2866YC (1) 91 sb/js 2/ 2