HCSHB1694--LANDOWNERRIGHTS
SPONSOR: Boggs
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonConservationandNaturalResourcesbyavoteof12to
7.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1694.
ThisbillprohibitstheDepartmentofConservationfromrequiringa
landownertoregisterhisorherpropertybeforereceivingany
landownerhuntingpermitorpossessingapermittotakewildlifeon
hisorherproperty.
TheConservationCommissionmustissuelandownerhuntingpermits
requestedbyanyresidentornonresidentlandownerwhoownsat
leastfiveacresofrealproperty. Inaddition,onceayear,any
landownerwhoqualifiesforlandownerhuntingpermitsmayrequesta
huntingpermitforanonresidentimmediatefamilymemberallowing
thetakingofwildlifeonthelandowner'spropertyforatwo-day
period.TheCommissionmustissuethetwo-daypermitfreeof
charge.
Currentlyemployeesofastateagencyorapoliticalsubdivision
areprohibitedfromplacingasurveillancecameraorgamecameraon
privatepropertywithouttheconsentofthelandowneror
landowner'sdesignee,asearchwarrant,orpermissionfromthe
highestrankinglawenforcementchieforofficeroftheagency
undercertainconditions. Thebillremovestheabilityforthe
highestrankinglawenforcementchieforofficertoapprovethe
placementofacameraonprivateproperty.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1010(2021).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthelandownerregistryrequiredby
theDepartmentisanextraburdenonlandownersandsomelandowners
distrusttheDepartmentandareunwillingtoregistertheirland
withtheDepartment. Inaddition,thelandownershavebeenhunting
ontheirpropertyforyearsandforthosewhodonotown20acres,
thenewregulationsmayleadsomenormallylawabidingcitizensto
huntwithoutapermit.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Boggs;LeonMitchell; andDustyBell.Additionalwrittentestimonywassubmittedin
supportofthebill.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnotestimonyinoppositiontothebillin
committee. Writtentestimonywassubmittedinoppositiontothe
bill.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaythattheregulation
changeswereinresponsetostakeholderinputandmisuseofthe
currentlandownerpermits. Throughstakeholderinputtheaverage
acreageneededtoprovidehabitatforlargegamewas21acres.
ThereforetheCommissionsettheacreagerequirementat20acresto
receivealandownerpermit.
TestifyingonthebillwastheMissouriDepartmentofConservation.
Additionalwrittentestimonywassubmittedforinformational
purposes.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.