HF 388 ( Formally HF 22) - Nonresident Deer Tag Allocations (A) - Currently, the state authorizes the issuance of up to 6,000 antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses to nonresidents. Licenses are awarded based on the results of drawing from applicant pools. The first nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting license drawing is made from the pool of applicants with the most preference points and continues to pools of applicants with successively fewer preference points until all the available licenses have been issued. The bill retains this method of license distribution, but only until 65 percent of the available nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses have been issued. The bill requires the remaining 35 percent of the nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses to be distributed through a random drawing of all the applications without considering the preference points of the applicant. Regardless of the drawing method, once a nonresident applicant receives a license, all of the applicant’s preference points are removed. On House debate calendar.
SF 179 - Family Member Party Hunting (A) - The bill allows a nonresident who is a family member of a resident to purchase a nonresident family member deer hunting license for a fee that is one-half the fee of a nonresident deer hunting license. A nonresident may only use a nonresident family member hunting license while hunting with a resident who is a family member of the nonresident on the property for which the resident received deer hunting licenses. A person using a nonresident family member deer hunting license is entitled to the same privileges as a person using a resident deer hunting license, including party hunting, and the nonresident family member deer hunting license is not subject to requirements or quotas imposed on nonresidents. However, the nonresident family member is required to purchase an annual nonresident hunting license. Subcommittee:
Rozenboom,
Bennett, and
De Witt.
HF 378 (formerly HF 65) - Deer Depredation Permit Expansion (A) - Under current law, the DNR is directed to issue depredation permits to a landowner who incurs crop, horticultural product, tree, or nursery damage of $1,000 or more due to wild animals. The bill directs DNR to issue both depredation permits and deer shooting permits to a landowner or a tenant who suffers an economic loss of $1,000 or more to agriculture, horticulture, or silviculture operations due to wild animals. The bill allows conservation officers to issue permits pursuant to the bill. The bill creates a designated deer depredation season from January 11 through January 31. A person possessing a deer depredation license and tag or deer shooting permit may use a rifle with an approved cartridge, a shotgun, a muzzleloader, a handgun, a crossbow, or a bow during the designated season. The bill allows any deer taken with a depredation license or shooting permit to be disposed of by composting or wastage if the deer was taken by the person issued the license or permit. On House debate calendar.
SF83- Deer Depredation Permit Expansion (A) - The bill directs the Department of Natural Resources to issue deer shooting permits to a landowner who incurs crop, horticultural product, tree, or nursery damage of $1,000 or more due to wild animals. The bill creates a designated deer depredation season from January 11 through January 31. A person possessing a deer depredation license and tag or deer shooting permit may use a rifle with an approved cartridge, a shotgun, a muzzleloader, a handgun, a crossbow, or a bow during the designated season. Not approved by the Subcommittee.
SSB 1078 - Party Hunting (F) - This bill defines group hunting and party hunting. The bill allows group hunting for both resident and nonresident hunters. Additionally, the bill allows for the practice of party hunting among persons with a resident hunting license, subject to rules adopted by the Natural Resource Commission, but prohibits the practice among persons with nonresident hunting licenses. Under current rules, party hunting is allowed for residents during the first and second regular gun seasons and the January antlerless deer only seasons. Approved by subcommittee.
SF 293 - Promotional Deer Tags (M) - This bill relates to the allocation of special nonresident deer hunting licenses. Under current law, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources allocates 50 nonresident deer hunting licenses for the purpose of allowing state officials and local development groups to promote the state and its natural resources to nonresident guests and dignitaries. The bill changes the allocation and purpose of the 50 nonresident hunting licenses by allocating 40 of the licenses to Iowa conservation organizations and 10 of the licenses to the governor for the purpose of allowing state officials and Iowa conservation groups to promote the state and its natural resources to nonresident guests and dignitaries. The bill allows the governor to accept all, part, or none of the allocation. Any nonresident deer hunting license not accepted by the governor by September 1 is added to the allocation for Iowa conservation organizations. Referred to Natural Resources and Environment.
SF 281 - Hunting Near A Recreation Area (M) - The bill prohibits a person from discharging a firearm or shooting or attempting to shoot a game or fur-bearing animal within 200 yards of a public recreation area. The bill provides exceptions for target shooting ranges and public hunting areas established before the implementation of the bill. Referred to Natural Resources and Environment.
HF 205 - Nonambulatory Hunters (M) - This bill limits the hunting seasons during which a nonambulatory hunter may use certain firearms with an any sex deer hunting license. Currently, a nonambulatory hunter may use a shotgun or certain handguns or rifles while using an any sex deer hunting license during any established deer hunting season. The bill limits the seasons a nonambulatory hunter may use a shotgun or certain handguns or rifles while using an any sex deer hunting license to any firearm deer season. Approved by subcommittee.
SF 247 - Farm Unit Size For Resident Turkey and Deer Tags (M) - This bill relates to size requirements of a farm unit for purposes of receiving special turkey and deer hunting licenses. Currently, a “farm unit” is defined to include parcels of land in tracts of two or more contiguous acres. The bill amends the definition of “farm unit” to require the inclusion of parcels of land in tracts of 40 or more contiguous acres. Current law authorizes an owner or tenant of a farm unit to receive special turkey and deer hunting licenses for use on the farm unit. Referred to Natural Resources and Environment.
SF 148 (formerly SF 10) - Wild Turkey Special Landowner Tags (M) - This bill allows a special wild turkey hunting license to be used during any open season using the method of take authorized for use during that season and authorizes the person issued the license to harvest only one turkey. On the Senate debate calendar.
HF 23 - Firearm Discharge From A Vehicle (M) - This bill prohibits discharging a firearm on a public roadway from within or on a motor vehicle. Under current law, a person is prohibited from shooting a rifle over public waters, public highways, or any railroad right-of-way, and is prohibited from shooting a shotgun with a slug load, a pistol, or a revolver over public roadways. A person who violates the bill is guilty of a simple misdemeanor punishable as a scheduled violation with a fine of $30. Approved by subcommittee.
HJR 7 (formerly HJR 1) - Right To Hunt, Fish and Trap (F) - This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa providing that the people of this state have the right to hunt, fish, trap, and harvest wildlife, including by the use of traditional methods, subject to reasonable laws enacted by the General Assembly and reasonable rules adopted by the Natural Resource Commission that promote wildlife conservation and management, that maintain natural resources in trust for public use, and that preserve the future of hunting, fishing, trapping and harvesting wildlife. On House debate calander.
SF 114 - Deer Baiting (F) - This bill prohibits hunting, taking, or attempting to take deer on or in a baited area. The bill also provides that if a person places feed in a baited area, all feed must be removed from that area at least 10 days before the opening day of the first fall deer hunting season. An area remains a baited area for 10 days following complete removal of all feed from the area, except for salt, minerals, or any other feed that will dissolve and leach into the soil, in which case the area is considered a permanently baited area until such time as all contaminated soil is removed or until there is no longer evidence that deer are artificially attracted to or are accessing the site. A person shall not hunt, take, or attempt to take deer within 200 yards of a permanently baited area until such time as all contaminated soil is removed from the area or until there is no evidence that deer are artificially attracted to or are accessing the area. Approved by Subcommittee.
HF 107 - Using ATVs To Retrieve Deer (M) - The bill allows for the operation of all-terrain vehicles or off-road utility vehicles on a public hunting area for the express purpose of removing a lawfully taken deer carcass. The bill requires the all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle operator and all passengers to wear a visible blaze orange vest, coat, jacket, sweatshirt, sweater, shirt, or coveralls until the deer carcass has been removed from the public hunting area. Approved by subcommittee.
HF 142 - Conservation Areas and Forest Reserve Program Repeal (M) - This bill creates conservation area designations and eliminates the forest and fruit-tree property tax exemption program. The bill establishes a conservation area designation, to be taxed at the following levy rates: for a commercial conservation area, $12 per acre; and for any other conservation area, $8 per acre. The bill eliminates the forest and fruit-tree reservation tax exemption for assessment years beginning on or after January 1, 2026. Referred to Ways and Means
HF 132 - Gun Safe Tax Credit (M) - This bill creates an individual income tax credit for the purchase of firearm safety devices. “Firearm safety device” is defined to mean a device designed to prevent a firearm from being operated without first deactivating the device or a qualified gun safe. “Qualified gun safe” is defined to mean a safe specifically manufactured to store firearms and constructed of steel or a material of equal or greater strength, which safe is purchased new by a taxpayer from a firearms dealer licensed under federal law, or a retailer as defined in Code section 423.1, and which is purchased for the personal, noncommercial use of the taxpayer. The credit is equal to the sales price of the firearm safety device, not to exceed $500. Referred to Ways and Means.
(
HF - House File,
HSB - House Study Bill,
HR- House Resolution,
SF - Senate File,
SSB - Senate Study Bill,
SR - Senate Resolution)
(
F - For,
A - Against,
M - Monitoring)
