EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LA W.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0958*
SENATE BILL 958
M4, M2 5lr3447
CF HB 1024
By: Senator Mautz
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Agriculture – Catastrophic Damage Caused by Deer 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Department of Agriculture to take extraordinary 3
measures to control deer populations and prevent future crop loss under certain 4
circumstances; and generally relating to deer and crop damage. 5
BY adding to 6
Article – Agriculture 7
Section 2–108 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 10
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
Article – Agriculture 13
2–108. 14
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE” MEANS THE LOSS OF 50% 15
OR MORE OF CROPS FROM A SINGLE FIELD. 16
(B) IF THE DEPARTMENT DETERMINES THAT DEER HAVE CAUSE D 17
CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO A FIELD, THE DEPARTMENT MAY AUTHORIZE THE USE 18
OF EXTRAORDINARY MEASUR ES TO REDUCE THE DEER POPULATION CAUSING THE 19
CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE . 20
(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO IMP LEMENT 21
THIS SECTION. 22 2 SENATE BILL 958
(2) THE REGULATIONS SHALL REQUIRE AN INDIVIDUA L AUTHORIZED 1
TO USE EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES UNDER THIS SECTION TO REPORT TO THE 2
DEPARTMENT THE NUMBER OF DEER HARVESTED AT EACH LOCATION OF 3
CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE . 4
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 5
October 1, 2025. 6