Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB478 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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29		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION
30		-	March 3, 2025
	28	+	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
31	29
	30	+	1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
32	31
33	32		COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
34	33		FOR
35		-	SENATE BILL ~~NO.~~ 478 By: Deevers of the Senate
	34	+	SENATE BILL 478 By: Deevers of the Senate
36	35
37	36		and
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39	38		West (Rick) of the House
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	43	+
	44	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
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45	46		An Act relating to feral swine; amending 2 O.S. 2021,
46	47		Section 6-604, which relates to the removal of feral
47	48		swine; requiring permission from landowner or lessee
48	49		to remove or take feral swine on certain property;
49	50		amending 29 O.S. 2021, Sections 4 -107.2, as amended
50	51		by Section 1, Chapter 77, O.S.L. 2018, 4 -135, as last
51	52		amended by Section 1, Chapter 198, O.S.L. 2023, and
52	53		Section 3, Chapter 171, O.S.L. 2022 (29 O.S. Supp.
53	54		2024, Sections 4-135 and 4-135.2), which relate to
54	55		control of nuisance wildlife; removing ability to
55	56		maintain certain firearm for nuisance control ;
56	57		permitting the nuisance control without permit under
57	58		certain circumstances; prohibiting certain times ;
58	59		authorizing revocation of license upon conviction;
59	60		making language gender neutral; updating statutory
60	61		references; repealing 2 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -605,
61	62		which relates to special permit for private property
62	63		owner to kill feral swine; and providing an effect ive
63	64		date.
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69	70		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
70	71		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 2 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -604, is
71	72		amended to read as follows:
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99	99		Section 6-604. A. Except as otherwise specified in the Feral
100	100		Swine Control Act, any person with permission of the owner may
101	101		remove feral swine from private or public property during daylight
102	102		hours.
103	103		B. Any person who i ntends to kill or attempt to kill feral
104	104		swine at night shall obtain a permit issued by the Department of
105	105		Wildlife Conservation pursuant to Section 4 -135 of Title 29 of the
106	106		Oklahoma Statutes and promulgated rules written permission from the
107	107		landowner or agricul tural lessee.
108	108		SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 4 -107.2, as
109	109		amended by Section 1, Chapter 77, O.S.L. 2018, is amended to read as
110	110		follows:
111	111		Section 4-107.2. A. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture,
112	112		Food, and Forestry is authorized to issue a permit to a person to
113	113		engage in the management of depredating animals by use of aircraft.
114	114		The permit may be issued without limitation by statewide season
115	115		regulations or bag limits.
116	116		B. The permit holder may contract with and author ize other
117	117		persons to engage in the management of depredating animals by use of
118	118		an aircraft, provided that the permit holder accompanies the
119	119		authorized person while engaging in the activity and, if engaging in
120	120		the activity on private property, the autho rized person has consent
121	121		of the landowner. Any person contracting with or authorized by a
122	122		permit holder pursuant to this subsection shall not be required to
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150	149		have a permit to engage in the management of depredating animals by
151	150		use of aircraft. If contracting o r authorizing other persons to
152	151		engage in the management of depredating animals by use of an
153	152		aircraft, the permit holder shall inform the person of the
154	153		importance of safely keeping his or her aim and fire beneath the
155	154		horizon. The permit holder shall ha ve the authorized person sign a
156	155		disclosure stating that the person is aware of the dangers of aiming
157	156		and shooting over the horizon. The permit holder shall retain a
158	157		copy of the disclosure for a reasonable period of time. Personnel
159	158		of the Department of Defens e and law enforcement shall not be
160	159		required to sign a disclosure.
161	160		C. A pilot of an aircraft used for the management of
162	161		depredating animals shall maintain a daily flight log and report.
163	162		The daily flight log shall be current and available for inspectio n
164	163		by employees of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and
165	164		Forestry at reasonable times. The permi t shall be carried in the
166	165		aircraft when performing management by the use of aircraft. Each
167	166		permit holder, authorized person pursuant to subsection B of this
168	167		section, and pilot shall comply with all Federal Aviation
169	168		Regulations for the specific type of aircraft. The Oklahoma
170	169		Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry shall not require the
171	170		pilot to hold a specific type of pilot ’s license. The Oklahoma
172	171		Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry shall also not require
173	172		the permit holder or pilot to carr y liability insurance.
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201	199		Applications for a permit shall be submitted to the Oklahoma
202	200		Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry and shall contain all
203	201		information as required by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture,
204	202		Food, and Forestry. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food,
205	203		and Forestry may issue a permit if it finds that it will aid in the
206	204		management of depredating animals. The Oklahoma Department of
207	205		Agriculture, Food, and Forestry may deny the permit if it finds that
208	206		it will have a deleterious effect on indigenous species. The
209	207		Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry shall not
210	208		require the names of the persons authorized by or c ontracting with
211	209		the permit holder pursuant to subsection B of this section. The
212	210		permit shall include, but is not limited to, the following
213	211		information:
214	212		1. The name and address of the permit holder;
215	213		2. A description of the animals to be taken;
216	214		3. A description of the area from which the animals are
217	215		authorized to be taken; and
218	216		4. The issue and expiration date of the permit.
219	217		D. A permit to manage depredating animals issued pursuant to
220	218		this section shall be valid for a period of one (1) year from the
221	219		date of issuance. Permits may be renewed by filing an application
222	220		for renewal with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and
223	221		Forestry.
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251	248		E. The annual fee for a permit to manage depredating animals
252	249		issued pursuant to this section shall be Two Hundr ed Dollars
253	250		($200.00).
254	251		F. Not less than twenty -four (24) hours prior to managing
255	252		depredating animals by use of an aircraft, a permit holder shall
256	253		notify the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry of
257	254		the date, time, and area on which management will occur.
258	255		Notification may be made by telephone, fax, or electronic means, as
259	256		determined by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and
260	257		Forestry.
261	258		G. The holder of a permit to manage depredating animals issued
262	259		pursuant to this section shall fi le with the Oklahoma Department of
263	260		Agriculture, Food, and Forestry within thirty (30) days following
264	261		the end of each calendar quarter or on termination of the permit,
265	262		whichever occurs first, a report on a form prescribed by the
266	263		Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry showing:
267	264		1. The name, address, and permit number of the permit holder;
268	265		2. The name and address of the pilot participating in the
269	266		flights;
270	267		3. The number and description of the depredating animals
271	268		managed under the permit;
272	269		4. The types of depredating animals authorized to be managed
273	270		under the permit;
274	271		5. Dates and times of authorized flights; and
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302	298		6. Any other information required by the Oklahoma Department of
303	299		Agriculture, Food, and Forestry .
304	300		H. It shall be unlawful for a person is sued a permit to manage
305	301		depredating animals pursuant to this section or a person authorized
306	302		by or contracting with the permit holder pursuant to subsection B of
307	303		this section to:
308	304		1. Hunt, shoot, shoot at, kill, or attempt to kill from an
309	305		aircraft any wildlife, domesticated animal, or livestock other than
310	306		the depredating animals authorized by the permit;
311	307		2. Intentionally disturb, haze, or buzz any wildlife,
312	308		domesticated animal, or livestock by the use of an aircraft other
313	309		than the depredating animals author ized by the permit; or
314	310		3. Take or attempt to take any depredating animal for any
315	311		purpose other than is necessary for the protection of land, water,
316	312		wildlife, livestock, domesticated animals, human life, or crops.
317	313		I. During designated deer hunting sea sons from the dates of
318	314		October 1 through January 15 as specified in rules promulgated by
319	315		the Department of Wildlife Conservation, it shall be unlawful to
320	316		take or attempt to take depredating animals , excluding feral swine,
321	317		without first obtaining a special perm it from the local game warden
322	318		or other authorized employee of the Department of Wildlife
323	319		Conservation.
324	320		J. 1. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this
325	321		section shall be punished by a fine of not less than Five Hundred
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353	348		Dollars ($500.00) nor more than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars
354	349		($1,500.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail not to ex ceed
355	350		sixty (60) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Any person
356	351		convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall have the
357	352		permit issued pursuant to this section revoked. No new permit shall
358	353		be issued for a period of six (6) months from and after the date on
359	354		which the revocation order becomes effective.
360	355		2. In addition to the criminal penalties specified by this
361	356		section, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry
362	357		may:
363	358		a. assess an administrative penalty of not more than Ten
364	359		Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) per day of
365	360		noncompliance, or
366	361		b. bring an action for injunctive relief granted by a
367	362		district court.
368	363		3. A district court may grant injunctive relief to prevent a
369	364		violation of, or to compel compliance with, any of the provisions of
370	365		this section or any rule promulgated pursuant to this section, or
371	366		order, license, or permit issued pursuant to this section.
372	367		4. Nothing in this section shall preclude the Oklahoma
373	368		Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry from seeking penalties
374	369		in district court in the maximum amount allowed by law.
375	370		5. Any person assessed an administrative penalty may be
376	371		required to pay, in addition to the pe nalty amount and interest,
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404	398		attorney fees and costs associated with the collection of the
405	399		penalties.
406	400		6. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry
407	401		or the district attorney of the appropriate district of Oklahoma may
408	402		bring an action in d istrict court for the criminal prosecution of a
409	403		violation by any person of a provision of this section or an y rule
410	404		promulgated pursuant to this section, or order, license , or permit
411	405		issued pursuant to this section. The assessment of penalties in an
412	406		administrative enforcement proceeding shall not prevent the
413	407		subsequent assessment by a court of the maximum criminal penalties
414	408		for violations of this section.
415	409		K. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of Section
416	410		4-106 of this title shall have the perm it issued pursuant to this
417	411		section revoked. No new permit shall be issued for a period of six
418	412		(6) months from and after the date on which the revocation order
419	413		becomes effective.
420	414		L. As used in this section:
421	415		1. “Depredating animal” means feral hogs, coyotes, and
422	416		crossbreeds between coyotes and dogs;
423	417		2. “Management by the use of aircraft ” means to manage
424	418		depredating animals by counting, photographing, relocating,
425	419		capturing, or hunting with any firearm by the use of aircraft; and
426	420		3. “Aircraft” means manned fixed-wing and non-fixed-wing
427	421		aircraft registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
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455	448		SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 4 -135, as
456	449		last amended by Section 1, Chapter 198, O.S.L. 2023 (29 O.S. Supp.
457	450		2024, Section 4-135), is amended to read as follows:
458	451		Section 4-135. A. The Department of Wildlife Conservation is
459	452		authorized to issue permits to landowners, agricultural lessees, or
460	453		their designated agents with written permission of the landowner or
461	454		agricultural lessee and to any entity of state, county, or local
462	455		government to control nuisance or damage by any species o f wildlife
463	456		including, but not limited to, beaver, coyote, deer, bobcat,
464	457		raccoon, and crow under rules promulgated by the Oklahoma Wildlife
465	458		Conservation Commission. The permits may be issued without
466	459		limitation by statewide season regulations, bag limits , or methods
467	460		of taking. A permitted landowner, agricultural lessee , or a
468	461		designated agent with written permission of the landowner or
469	462		agricultural lessee may, with a valid permit issued pursuant to this
470	463		section, control the wildlife specified in this subsect ion and feral
471	464		swine at night to protect marketable agricultural crops, livestock ,
472	465		or processed feed, seed , or other materials used in the production
473	466		of an agricultural commodity.
474	467		B. Except as otherwise specified in this subsection section,
475	468		the permit to hunt at night shall be valid for a period of up to one
476	469		(1) year from the date the permit was issued.
477	470		C. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5 -203.1 of this
478	471		title, a landowner, agricultural lessee, or designated agent with
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506	498		written permission of the la ndowner and with a valid permit may use
507	499		a headlight carried on the person while hunting at night. Nothing
508	500		in this section shall authorize the use of a headlight mounted on a
509	501		vehicle or the use of a headlight from a public roadway.
510	502		D. Any person who has been convicted of, or pled guilty to, a
511	503		violation of Section 5 -203.1 or Section 5-411 of this title within
512	504		the previous three (3) years shall not be eligible to receive a
513	505		permit pursuant to this section. The permit can be issued by the
514	506		local game warden in the county for which the permit is to be used
515	507		or by the Law Enforcement Division of the Department of Wildlife
516	508		Conservation.
517	509		E. It shall be lawful for any private landowner or designated
518	510		employee of the landowner or lessee to have a chamber -loaded firearm
519	511		on property owned by the landowner, and to use the firearm for the
520	512		purpose of controlling nuisance or damage by any wildlife or feral
521	513		swine. Nothing in this section shall authorize any convicted felon
522	514		to carry a firearm.
523	515		SECTION 4. AMENDATORY Section 3, Chapter 171, O.S.L.
524	516		2022 (29 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 4 -135.2), is amended to read as
525	517		follows:
526	518		Section 4-135.2. A. Except d uring the regular deer gun seasons
527	519		season, a landowner, agricultural lessee, or their his or her
528	520		designated agent with written permission from the landowner or
529	521		agricultural lessee may control nuisance or damage by coyotes or
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557	548		feral swine without a permit as provided for in Section 4 -135 of
558	549		Title 29 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title during the day or
559	550		night, and without limitation by statewide season regulations or bag
560	551		limits, and with the use of any legal means of take, to protect
561	552		marketable agricultural cr ops, livestock, or processed feed, seed,
562	553		or other materials used in the production of an agricultural
563	554		commodity. Landowners or agricultural lessees performing nuisance
564	555		control activities shall be required to have a current agricultural
565	556		exemption permit issued by the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
566	557		B. Except during the regular deer gun season, a landowner,
567	558		agricultural lessee, or his or her designated agent with written
568	559		permission from the landowner or agricultural lessee may control
569	560		nuisance or damage by feral s wine without a permit as provided for
570	561		in Section 4-135 of this title during the day or night. During the
571	562		regular deer gun season, any person, excluding landowners and
572	563		agricultural lessees on property owned or leased by them, in the
573	564		field during legal dayl ight shooting hours in possession of a
574	565		firearm that is legal to harvest a deer shall be in possession of a
575	566		hunting license and deer gun license unless otherwise exempt.
576	567		C. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5 -203.1 of Title
577	568		29 of the Oklahoma Statu tes this title, a landowner, agricultural
578	569		lessee, or designated agent of the landowner or lessee may use a
579	570		headlight, thermal, or light enhancement device carried on the
580	571		person, a vehicle with or without a mounted spotlight , or night
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582		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB478 SFLR Page 12
583		-	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
	573	+	Req. No. 1776 Page 12 1
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608	598		vision equipment while controlling nuisance coyotes and feral swine
609	599		at night. Nothing in this subsection shall authorize the discharge
610	600		of a firearm, the use of a headlight, thermal or night vision
611	601		equipment, or a spotlight from a public roadway. Upon final
612	602		conviction of violation of this section , any hunting or fishing
613	603		license issued to a person by the Department of Wildlife
614	604		Conservation shall be automatically revoked. The revocation shall
615	605		be for a period not less than one (1) year.
616	606		C. D. Any person who has been convicted of , or pleads guilty
617	607		to, a violation of Section 5 -203.1 of Title 29 of the Oklahoma
618	608		Statutes or Section 5-411 of Title 29 of the Oklahoma Statutes this
619	609		title within a previous three -year period shall not control nuisance
620	610		or damage by coyotes or feral swine at night.
621	611		SECTION 5. REPEALER 2 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -605, is
622	612		hereby repealed.
623	613		SECTION 6. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
624		-	~~COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND WILDLIFE~~
625		-	~~March~~ 3, 2025 ~~- DO PASS AS AMENDED BY CS~~
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	615	+	60-1-1776 MR 3/3/2025 12:13:41 PM