Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB634 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4	[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5	sb0634
6	6
7	7	SENATE BILL 634
8	8	M2 5lr0654
9	9	SB 983/24 – EEE CF HB 741
10	10	By: Senators Lewis Young, M. Washington, and Watson
11	11	Introduced and read first time: January 25, 2025
12	12	Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
13	13
14	14	A BILL ENTITLED
15	15
16	16	AN ACT concerning 1
17	17
18	18	Hunting – Nonlead Ammunition, Fox Chasing, and Deer Management 2
19	19
20	20	FOR the purpose of altering the definition of “hunt” to include the sport of fox chasing; 3
21	21	establishing the Deer Management Assistance Program in the Department of 4
22	22	Natural Resources; requiring the Department of Budget and Management, on or 5
23	23	before a certain date, to increase the number of full–time employees in the 6
24	24	Department of Natural Resources to administer the Program; requiring the 7
25	25	Department of Natural Resources to require, through a certain phasing–out process, 8
26	26	the use of nonlead ammunition for the hunting of all game species on or before a 9
27	27	certain date; establishing a certain exemption and a certain requirement for any 10
28	28	person who participates in unarmed fox chasing; and generally relating to hunting. 11
29	29
30	30	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 12
31	31	Article – Natural Resources 13
32	32	Section 10–101(a) 14
33	33	Annotated Code of Maryland 15
34	34	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
35	35
36	36	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 17
37	37	Article – Natural Resources 18
38	38	Section 10–101(k) and 10–408 19
39	39	Annotated Code of Maryland 20
40	40	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 21
41	41
42	42	BY adding to 22
43	43	Article – Natural Resources 23
44	44	Section 10–214 and 10–410(q) 24
45	45	Annotated Code of Maryland 25
46	46	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 26
47	47	2 SENATE BILL 634
48	48
49	49
50	50	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
51	51	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
52	52
53	53	Article – Natural Resources 3
54	54
55	55	10–101. 4
56	56
57	57	(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 5
58	58
59	59	(k) [(1)] “Hunt” means to pursue, capture, catch, kill, gig, trap, shoot, or attempt 6
60	60	to pursue, capture, catch, kill, gig, trap, or shoot, or in any manner reduce any bird or 7
61	61	mammal to personal possession. 8
62	62
63	63	[(2) “Hunt” excludes the sport of fox chasing.] 9
64	64
65	65	10–214. 10
66	66
67	67	(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PROGRAM” MEANS THE DEER MANAGEMENT 11
68	68	ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 12
69	69
70	70	(B) THERE IS A DEER MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN THE 13
71	71	DEPARTMENT . 14
72	72
73	73	(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO EDUCATE AND ASSIST FARMERS 15
74	74	WITH DEER MANAGEMENT AND HUNTING ON PRIVATE L AND. 16
75	75
76	76	(D) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2026, THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND 17
77	77	MANAGEMENT SHALL INCR EASE THE NUMBER OF FULL –TIME EMPLOYEES IN TH E 18
78	78	DEPARTMENT BY ONE PERMANENT , CLASSIFIED POSITION TO ADMINISTER THE 19
79	79	PROGRAM. 20
80	80
81	81	10–408. 21
82	82
83	83	(a) (1) In this section[, “handgun”] THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE 22
84	84	MEANING INDICATED . 23
85	85
86	86	(2) “HANDGUN” means a firearm: 24
87	87
88	88	[(1)] (I) With a barrel length not exceeding 6 inches; and 25
89	89
90	90	[(2)] (II) That does not have a scope or an electronic device attached. 26
91	91
92	92	(3) “NONLEAD AMMUNITION ” INCLUDES: 27
93	93	SENATE BILL 634 3
94	94
95	95
96	96	(I) AMMUNITION IN WHICH T HERE IS LESS THAN 1% LEAD 1
97	97	CONTENT; AND 2
98	98
99	99	(II) ANY FEDERALLY APPROVED NONTOXIC AM MUNITION. 3
100	100
101	101	(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Department 4
102	102	shall: 5
103	103
104	104	(i) Prescribe by regulation the means or weapons for hunting 6
105	105	designated wildlife; and 7
106	106
107	107	(ii) Set forth any restrictions relating to weapons used to hunt 8
108	108	designated wildlife, including the amount [and], size, AND TYPE of ammunition for 9
109	109	designated game birds or mammals. 10
110	110
111	111	(2) The Department may not prohibit a licensed bow hunter from openly 11
112	112	carrying a handgun that the hunter is otherwise authorized to carry under § 4–203 of the 12
113	113	Criminal Law Article if the bow hunter: 13
114	114
115	115	(i) Is at least 21 years old; 14
116	116
117	117	(ii) Is hunting in deer management Region A as defined by the 15
118	118	Department’s Guide to Hunting and Trapping; 16
119	119
120	120	(iii) Is carrying the handgun for personal protection; and 17
121	121
122	122	(iv) Does not use the handgun to kill wildlife wounded by a vertical 18
123	123	bow or crossbow. 19
124	124
125	125	(c) The Department shall make the regulations available for distribution with 20
126	126	each hunting license purchased. 21
127	127
128	128	(d) This section does not authorize the Department to restrict the use of firearms 22
129	129	except in the activity of hunting designated wildlife. 23
130	130
131	131	(E) (1) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2029, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REQU IRE 24
132	132	THE USE OF NONLEAD A MMUNITION FOR THE HU NTING OF ALL GAME SP ECIES. 25
133	133
134	134	(2) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO CAR RY OUT 26
135	135	THIS SUBSECTION . 27
136	136
137	137	10–410. 28
138	138
139	139	(Q) ANY PERSON WHO PARTIC IPATES IN UNARMED FO X CHASING: 29
140	140	4 SENATE BILL 634
141	141
142	142
143	143	(1) IS EXEMPT FROM THE RE QUIREMENT S OF § 10–301.1(A)(1) OF 1
144	144	THIS TITLE; AND 2
145	145
146	146	(2) SHALL POSSESS A RESID ENT OR NONRESIDENT FULL SEA SON 3
147	147	HUNTING LICENSE . 4
148	148
149	149	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 5
150	150
151	151	(a) On or before July 1, 2026, the Department of Natural Resources shall adopt 6
152	152	regulations requiring the use of nonlead ammunition for hunting pen–raised birds on 7
153	153	regulated shooting areas. 8
154	154
155	155	(b) On or before July 1, 2027, the Department of Natural Resources shall adopt 9
156	156	regulations requiring the use of nonlead ammunition for hunting upland game birds. 10
157	157
158	158	(c) On or before July 1, 2028, the Department of Natural Resources shall adopt 11
159	159	regulations requiring nonlead ammunition for hunting webless migratory game bird 12
160	160	species and wild turkey. 13
161	161
162	162	(d) On or before July 1, 2029, the Department of Natural Resources shall adopt 14
163	163	regulations requiring the use of nonlead ammunition for muzzleloaders, rifles, and 15
164	164	shotguns used for hunting deer and any other game species not specified in subsections (a) 16
165	165	through (c) of this section. 17
166	166
167	167	SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
168	168	1, 2025. 19