Wisconsin Legislative Council
AMENDMENT MEMO
One Ea st Ma in Stre e t, Suite 401 • Ma dison, W I 53703 • (608) 266-1304 • le g.council@le gis.wisconsin.gov • http://www.le gis.wisconsin.gov/lc
Memo published: June 14, 2023 Contact: Steve McCarthy, Senior Staff Attorney
2023 Assembly Bill 174 Assembly Amendment 1
2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 174
2023 Assembly Bill 174 provides limited exceptions to various laws relating to hunting and weapons, to
facilitate nuisance wildlife management and control at certain airports.
With some exceptions, current law prohibits all of the following, with various applicable penalties:
Shining a light on wild animals for the purpose of illuminating, locating, or attempting to illuminate
or locate, the animals, either: (1) while in possession of a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow; or
(2) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. from September 15 to December 31.
Placing, possessing, or transporting a firearm, bow, or crossbow in a motorboat or vehicle, unless:
(1) the firearm is unloaded or a handgun; (2) the bow does not have an arrow nocked; or (3) the
crossbow is not cocked or is unloaded.
Loading a firearm, other than a handgun, in a vehicle.
Discharging a firearm, or shooting a bolt or an arrow from a bow or crossbow, in or from a vehicle,
from or across a highway, or within 50 feet of the center of a roadway.
Intentionally discharging a firearm at or toward a person, building, or vehicle, from a vehicle while
on a highway or on a vehicle parking lot that is open to the public.
The bill provides an exception from each of those general prohibitions. The exceptions allow designated
personnel
1
at certain airports to conduct nuisance wildlife management and control that is conducted in
accordance with applicable state and federal permits.
Specifically, the bill applies to designated personnel at public-use airports and airports under the
exclusive control of the National Guard or the U.S. Department of Defense. For this purpose, the bill
incorporates an existing definition of “public-use airport” as any of the following, as provided under
federal law: (1) any public airport; (2) any privately owned reliever airport; or (3) any privately owned
airport used for public purposes and determined by the U.S. Department of Transportation to enplane
2,500 or more passengers annually and receive scheduled passenger service of aircraft.
ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 1
Assembly Amendment 1 modifies the bill as follows:
Amends the Department of Natural Resources’ administrative rules relating to approval for
destroying or relocating wild animals that are causing damage, by authorizing the department to
1
The bill defines “designated personnel” to mean any person who is acting within the scope of his or her employment or
employer and who is an employee or contractor of the airport of the local government that operates the airport of a
federal employee or agent. - 2 -
exempt a permittee from general shooting hour restrictions, if the exemption is used to assist
designated personnel at certain airports in conducting nuisance wildlife management and control
authorized by state or federal permits.
Specifies that the exceptions under the bill apply when “authorized by” state and federal permits,
rather than when “conducted in accordance with applicable” state and federal permits.
Updates a cross-reference to federal law in the current definition of “public-use airport.”
BILL HISTORY
Representative Murphy offered Assembly Amendment 1 on May 24, 2023. On June 13, 2023, the
Assembly Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, voted to adopt the amendment, and recommend
passage of the bill, as amended, on votes of Ayes, 13; Noes, 0.
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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