SJR 6 -Natural Resources Trust Fund Repeal (A) - This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa by repealing the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, and dedicating a portion of state revenue from sales and use taxes for the benefit of property tax relief. Approved by subcommittee.
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.
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. Not voted on yet by Subcommittee:
Rozenboom,
Bennett, and
De Witt.
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 428 (formerly SF 293) - Promotional Deer Tags (F) - 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. On Senate debate calendar.
HF 388 (formerly 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 281 - Hunting Near A Recreation Area (A) - 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. Not voted on yet by Subcommittee: Zumbach, De Witt, and Zimmer.
HF 646 (formerly 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. On House debate calendar.
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. Approved by subcommittee.
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.
HJR7 - (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.
SJR 7 (formerly SSB 1132) - Right to Hunt, Trap and Fish (M) - 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 laws enacted by the general assembly that preserve the future of hunting, fishing, trapping, and harvesting wildlife. The proposed amendment further states that hunting, fishing, trapping, and harvesting wildlife shall be a preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife and that the proposed amendment shall not be construed to modify any provision of law relating to eminent domain, trespass, property rights, or water resources. Approved by subcommittee with an amendment. on Senate debate calendar.
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 473 (formerly HF 107) - Using ATVs To Retrieve Deer (A) - 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. On House debate calendar.
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
SF 423 (formerly SF 331) -Youth Deer Tags (M) - The bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to make youth deer hunting licenses available for purchase during the same period of time that general deer hunting licenses are available for purchase, including through all established deer hunting seasons. The bill allows the youth deer hunting license and tag to be used in the season for which the license was issued or in any subsequent established deer hunting season using a method of take authorized for that season. Approved by subcommittee
HF 536 - Outdoors Education in Schools (M) - The bill requires the director of the Department of Natural Resources to develop, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety, and distribute to school districts, an age-appropriate model program for students enrolled in grades six through eight that includes instruction related to firearm safety, handling, and storage; Iowa hunting laws and regulations; wildlife conservation and ethical hunting practices; and emergency preparedness, outdoor survival skills, and first aid. The Department of Natural Resources is also required to issue a certificate of completion of a hunter education course to a student who completes a course that uses the model program. Referred to Education.
HF 469 - Veterans Policy Omnibus w/Lifetime Licenses (M) - This division of the 17-page bill prohibits the Department of Natural Resources from requiring a veteran to pay a fee for camping and using rental facilities at state parks and recreation areas. A veteran who applies to register a vessel for use in Iowa waters shall not be assessed a fee to receive the registration certificate. A veteran applying for any hunting, fur harvester, or fishing license is not required to pay the license fee nor the wildlife habitat fee, if applicable. A veteran who was disabled or was a prisoner of war shall not be assessed a fee in applying for a lifetime fishing license and a lifetime hunting and fishing combined license. A veteran may also obtain a lifetime trout fishing license without paying a fee if the veteran is at least 65 years of age or qualifies for the disabled veteran homestead credit, and the Department of Natural Resources shall not require any veteran to pay a trout fishing fee. Approved by subcommittee.
SF 432 - Using Open Spaces Account Dollars For Fence Repairs (M) - The bill provides that DNR or a county conservation board, has the same rights and obligations as any private landowner when erecting and maintaining a partition fence. The bill provides that after fence viewers issue an order, the two parties must deposit an amount with the fence viewers sufficient to pay for that party’s portion of the costs plus the fence viewers’ expenses. The bill requires the DNR to make its contribution from moneys in REAP’s open spaces account and a county conservation board to make its contribution from moneys in REAP’s county conservation account. Approved by subcommittee.
HF 634 - Forest Reserve Fee (M) - Beginning January 1, 2026, this bill establishes a fee structure for reservations dependent upon where the reservation is located. For a reservation located in a county where the owner of the reservation maintains a homestead, the fee is $2 per acre per year. For a reservation located in a county contiguous to the county where the owner of the reservation maintains a homestead, the fee is $3 per acre per year. For all other reservations, including a reservation located inside the corporate limits of a city, the fee shall be a rate per acre equal to a formula calculated by the department of management. Referred to Ways and Means
HSB 257 - Farm Unit Definition (M) - This bill relates to size requirements of a farm unit for purposes of receiving special turkey and deer hunting licenses. Under current Code section 483A.24, 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. Referred to Natural Resources. Subcommittee: Fisher, Kurth and Wengryn. Subcommittee Meeting: 03/04/2025 8:00am House Lounge.
HSB 251 - 500 Nonresident Deer Tags For Outfitters (A) - The bill requires the DNR to reserve 500 of the 6000 total nonresident antlered or any sex deer hunting licenses for nonresidents who have made a reservation with an outfitter. Referred to Natural Resources. Subcommittee: Collins, Gearhart and Scholten. Subcommittee Meeting: 03/03/2025 12:00pm House Lounge.
(
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)
