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HB0111

LONG TITLE General Description: This bill addresses the management of wildlife resources and wildlife habitats. Highlighted Provisions: This bill: ▸addresses who may provide verification of illness, injury, or disability in relationship to a license, certificate, or permit issued under the Wildlife Resources Act; ▸amends provisions related to notice of acquisition of real property; ▸addresses rulemaking and penalties related to reporting hunt information; ▸provides for the management of grizzly bears; ▸grants rulemaking authority; ▸addresses discharge of a dangerous weapon related to a waterfowl management area or wildlife management area; and ▸makes technical and conforming amendments. Money Appropriated in this Bill: None Other Special Clauses: None Utah Code Sections Affected: AMENDS: 23A-4-207 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 103 23A-4-305 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 103 23A-6-202 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 103 23A-15-101 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 103 76-11-209 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapters 173, 208 ENACTS: 23A-4-713 , Utah Code Annotated 1953 23A-15-301 , Utah Code Annotated 1953 23A-15-302 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:

Section 1. Section 23A-4-207 is amended to read: 23A-4-207. Sales of licenses, certificates, or permits final -- Exceptions -- Reallocation of surrendered permits. (1) A sale of a license, permit, or certificate is final, and the division may not refund money except as provided in Subsections (2) and (3) or Section 23A-4-301 . (2) The division may refund the amount of a license, certificate, or permit if: (a) the division or the Wildlife Board discontinues the activity for which the license, certificate, or permit was obtained; (b) the division determines that the division has erroneously collected a fee; (c) (i) the person to whom the license, certificate, or permit is issued becomes ill or suffers an injury that precludes the person from using the license, certificate, or permit; (ii) the person furnishes verification of illness or injury from a physician or , physician assistant , or nurse practitioner ; (iii) the person does not actually use the license, certificate, or permit; and (iv) the license, certificate, or permit is surrendered before the end of the season for which the permit was issued; or (d) the person to whom the license, certificate, or permit is issued dies before the person being able to use the license, certificate, or permit. (3) The Wildlife Board may establish additional exceptions to the refund prohibitions in Subsection (1) by rule made in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act . (4) The director may reallocate surrendered permits in accordance with rules made by the Wildlife Board in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act .

Section 2. Section 23A-4-305 is amended to read: 23A-4-305. Persons with a physical or intellectual disability, terminally ill persons, and children in the custody of the state may fish for free. (1) A resident who is blind, has paraplegia, or has another permanent disability so as to be permanently confined to a wheelchair or the use of crutches, or who has lost either or both lower extremities, may receive a free license to fish upon furnishing satisfactory proof of this fact to the division. (2) A resident who has an intellectual disability and is not eligible under Section 23A-4-303 to fish without a license may receive a free license to fish upon furnishing verification from a physician or , physician assistant , or nurse practitioner that the person has an intellectual disability. (3) A resident who is terminally ill, and has less than five years to live, may receive a free license to fish: (a) upon furnishing verification from a physician or , physician assistant , or nurse practitioner ; and (b) if the resident qualifies for assistance under a low income public assistance program administered by a state agency. (4) A child placed in the custody of the state by a court order may receive a free fishing license upon furnishing verification of custody to the division.

Section 3. Section 23A-4-713 is enacted to read: 23A-4-713. Reporting of hunt information. (1) By rule, made in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the division may require that a person who obtains a hunting license or permit report hunt information to the division. (2) The rule described in Subsection (1) may impose penalties for failure to provide hunt information in accordance with that rule, except that a penalty requiring the payment of money may not exceed $25.

Section 4. Section 23A-6-202 is amended to read: 23A-6-202. Acquisition of real property held in private ownership -- Published notice and governor's approval required. (1) The division may not acquire title to real property held in private ownership without first: (a) publishing a notice of the proposed acquisition on : (i) in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the property is located the division's public website ; and (ii) as required in a public legal notice website in accordance with Section 45-1-101 ; and (b) obtaining the approval of the governor. (2) Subsection (1) applies whether title to real property held in private ownership is acquired through a purchase, donation, or other means. (3) In the case of a proposed purchase of private property, the division may publish notice after earnest money is paid. (4) The published notice shall inform the public regarding: (a) the proposed use of the real property; (b) any conditions on the acquisition of the real property placed by donors, the federal government, sellers, or others specifying how the real property is to be used; (c) any changes to existing land uses that are anticipated; and (d) the public comment submission process for comments on the proposed acquisition. (5) The governor shall: (a) submit a notification of the proposed acquisition to: (i) the county executive of the county in which the real property is located; (ii) the legislators of the legislative districts in which the real property is located; and (iii) the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration; and (b) invite those notified to submit comments on the proposed acquisition. (6) After considering comments on the proposed acquisition, the governor may: (a) approve the acquisition in whole or in part; or (b) disapprove the acquisition.

Section 5. Section 23A-15-101 is amended to read: Chapter 15. Wolf and Grizzly Bear Management Act 23A-15-101. Definitions. As used in this chapter: (1) "Endangered Species Act" means the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq. (2) "Grizzly bear" means the species Ursus arctos horribilis. (2) (3) "Service" means the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. (3) (4) "Wolf" means the species Canis lupus.

Section 6. Section 23A-15-301 is enacted to read: Part 3. Grizzly Bear Management 23A-15-301. Grizzly bear management. (1) If the division discovers a grizzly bear in an area of the state where grizzly bears are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, the division shall contact the service and request immediate removal of the grizzly bear from the state. (2) The division shall manage grizzly bears to prevent the establishment of grizzly bears in any area of the state until the grizzly bear is completely delisted under the Endangered Species Act and removed from federal control in the entire state. (3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to a grizzly bear that is lawfully held in captivity and restrained.

Section 7. Section 23A-15-302 is enacted to read: 23A-15-302. Rulemaking. The Wildlife Board may make administrative rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3 , Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to manage the grizzly bear in accordance with Section 23A-15-301 .

Section 8. Section 76-11-209 is amended to read: 76-11-209. Improper discharging of a dangerous weapon. (1) Terms defined in Sections 76-1-101.5 , 76-11-101 , and 76-11-201 apply to this section. (2) An actor commits improper discharging of a dangerous weapon if the actor : (a) discharges a dangerous weapon: (a) (i) from a vehicle; (b) (ii) from, upon, or across a highway; (c) (iii) at a road sign placed on a state highway; (d) (iv) at communications equipment or property of public utilities including facilities, lines, poles, or devices a facility, line, pole, or device of transmission or distribution; (e) (v) at railroad equipment or facilities facility including a sign or signal; (f) (vi) within a Utah State Park building, designated camp or picnic sites, overlooks, golf courses, boat ramps, and developed beaches; or site, overlook, golf course, boat ramp, or developed beach; or (g) (vii) without written permission to discharge the dangerous weapon from the owner or person in charge of the property within 600 feet of: (i) (A) a house, dwelling, or other building; or (ii) (B) a structure in which a domestic animal is kept or fed, including a barn, poultry yard, corral, feeding pen, or stockyard . ; or (b) notwithstanding Subsection (2)(a)(vii) : (i) discharges a dangerous weapon while located on a waterfowl management area, as defined in Section 23A-12-301 , or a wildlife management area, as defined in Section 23A-6-101 ; (ii) is within 300 feet of: (A) a house, dwelling, or other building; or (B) a structure in which a domestic animal is kept or fed, including a barn, poultry yard, corral, feeding pen, or stockyard; and (iii) does not have written permission to discharge the dangerous weapon from the owner or person in charge of the property described in Subsection (2)(b)(ii) . (3) A violation of Subsection (2) is a class B misdemeanor. (4) In addition to any other penalties, the court shall: (a) notify the Driver License Division of the conviction for purposes of any revocation, denial, suspension, or disqualification of a driver license under Subsection 53-3-220(1)(a)(xi) ; and (b) specify in court at the time of sentencing the length of the revocation under Subsection 53-3-225(1)(c) . (5) This section does not apply to an actor who: (a) discharges a dangerous weapon in the lawful defense of the actor or another individual; (b) is an individual listed in Subsections 53-5a-108(1)(a) through (f) and is performing official duties as provided in Section 23A-2-207 or 79-2-704 or as otherwise provided by law; (c) discharges a dangerous weapon from an automobile or other vehicle, if: (i) the discharge occurs at a firing range or training ground; (ii) at no time after the discharge does the projectile that is discharged cross over or stop at a location other than within the boundaries of the firing range or training ground described in Subsection (5)(c)(i) ; (iii) the discharge is made as practice or training for a lawful purpose; (iv) the discharge and the location, time, and manner of the discharge are approved by the owner or operator of the firing range or training ground before the discharge; and (v) the discharge is not made in violation of Subsection ; or (d) acting under a farm custom slaughter license, discharges a firearm or other dangerous weapon in accordance with Subsection 4-32-108(3) . (6) It is a defense to a charge for violating this section that the actor had actual permission of the person in charge of the property at the time the actor discharged the dangerous weapon as described in Subsection (2) .

Section 9. Effective Date. This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026 .

DMU Timestamp: February 10, 2026 00:42





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