House Study Bill 275 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WULF) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the allocation of special nonresident deer 1 hunting licenses. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2222YC (1) 91 sb/js
H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 483A.24, subsection 3, paragraph a, Code 1 2025, is amended to read as follows: 2 a. Fifty of the nonresident deer hunting licenses shall 3 be allocated as determined by the department between Iowa 4 conservation organizations and the governor . Of the fifty 5 nonresident deer hunting licenses allocated under this 6 paragraph, forty shall be allocated to Iowa conservation 7 organizations, as determined by the department, and ten shall 8 be allocated to the governor. The governor may choose to 9 accept all, part, or none of the allocation. Any nonresident 10 deer hunting license allocated to the governor that is not 11 accepted by September 1 of the year in which the allocation is 12 made shall be added to the allocation for Iowa conservation 13 organizations. The licenses provided pursuant to this 14 subsection shall be in addition to the number of nonresident 15 licenses authorized pursuant to section 483A.8 . The purpose of 16 the special nonresident licenses is to allow state officials 17 and local development Iowa conservation groups to promote 18 the state and its natural resources to nonresident guests 19 and dignitaries. Photographs, videotapes, or any other form 20 of media resulting from the hunting visitation shall not 21 be used for political campaign purposes. The nonresident 22 licenses shall be issued without application upon purchase of a 23 nonresident annual hunting license that includes the wildlife 24 habitat fee and the purchase of a nonresident deer hunting 25 license. The licenses are valid in all zones open to deer 26 hunting. The hunter education certificate requirement pursuant 27 to section 483A.27 is waived for a nonresident issued a license 28 pursuant to this subsection . For purposes of this paragraph, 29 conservation organization means an organization that is 30 incorporated and managed pursuant to chapter 504 and whose 31 mission emphasizes natural resource conservation or supports 32 science-based natural resource management. A local or state 33 chapter or division of a national or international conservation 34 organization shall qualify as a conservation organization. 35 -1- LSB 2222YC (1) 91 sb/js 1/ 2
H.F. _____ EXPLANATION 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 This bill relates to the allocation of special nonresident 4 deer hunting licenses. 5 Under current law, the director of the department of natural 6 resources allocates 50 nonresident deer hunting licenses for 7 the purpose of allowing state officials and local development 8 groups to promote the state and its natural resources to 9 nonresident guests and dignitaries. 10 The bill changes the allocation and purpose of the 50 11 nonresident hunting licenses by allocating 40 of the licenses 12 to Iowa conservation organizations and 10 of the licenses 13 to the governor for the purpose of allowing state officials 14 and Iowa conservation groups to promote the state and its 15 natural resources to nonresident guests and dignitaries. The 16 bill allows the governor to accept all, part, or none of the 17 allocation. Any nonresident deer hunting license not accepted 18 by the governor by September 1 is added to the allocation for 19 Iowa conservation organizations. 20 The bill defines conservation organization as an 21 organization that is incorporated and managed pursuant 22 to Code chapter 504 and whose mission emphasizes natural 23 resource conservation or supports science-based natural 24 resource management. Under the bill, a local or state chapter 25 or division of a national or international conservation 26 organization qualifies as a conservation organization. 27 -2- LSB 2222YC (1) 91 sb/js 2/ 2