How should Utah manage wildlife and public lands in a way that protects ecosystems, respects private property, and balances public safety with hunting rights?

1LONG 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:

2Section 1. Section 323A-4-207 is amended to read: 423A-4-207. Sales of licenses, certificates, or permits final — Exceptions — Reallocation of surrendered permits. 65(1) A sale of a license, permit, or certificate is final, and the division may not refund money except as provided in Subsections 7(2) and 8(3) or Section 923A-4-301 . 1110(2) The division may refund the amount of a license, certificate, or permit if: 1312(a) the division or the Wildlife Board discontinues the activity for which the license, certificate, or permit was obtained; 1514(b) the division determines that the division has erroneously collected a fee; 16© 1817(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; 2019(ii) the person furnishes verification of illness or injury from a physician 21or 22, physician assistant 23, or nurse practitioner ; 2524(iii) the person does not actually use the license, certificate, or permit; and 2726(iv) the license, certificate, or permit is surrendered before the end of the season for which the permit was issued; or 2928(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. 3130(3) The Wildlife Board may establish additional exceptions to the refund prohibitions in Subsection 32(1) by rule made in accordance with 33Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act . 3534(4) The director may reallocate surrendered permits in accordance with rules made by the Wildlife Board in accordance with 36Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act .

37Section 2. Section 3823A-4-305 is amended to read: 3923A-4-305. Persons with a physical or intellectual disability, terminally ill persons, and children in the custody of the state may fish for free. 4140(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. 4342(2) A resident who has an intellectual disability and is not eligible under Section 4423A-4-303 to fish without a license may receive a free license to fish upon furnishing verification from a physician 45or 46, physician assistant 47, or nurse practitioner that the person has an intellectual disability. 4948(3) A resident who is terminally ill, and has less than five years to live, may receive a free license to fish: 5150(a) upon furnishing verification from a physician 52or 53, physician assistant 54, or nurse practitioner ; and 5655(b) if the resident qualifies for assistance under a low income public assistance program administered by a state agency. 5857(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.

59Section 3. Section 6023A-4-713 is enacted to read: 6123A-4-713. Reporting of hunt information. 62(1) 63By 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. 64(2) 65The rule described in Subsection 66(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.

67Section 4. Section 6823A-6-202 is amended to read: 6923A-6-202. Acquisition of real property held in private ownership — Published notice and governor’s approval required. 7170(1) The division may not acquire title to real property held in private ownership without first: 7372(a) publishing a notice of the proposed acquisition 74on : 7875(i) 76in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the property is located 77the division’s public website ; and 8279(ii) 80as required in 81a public legal notice website in accordance with Section 8345-1-101 ; and 8584(b) obtaining the approval of the governor. 8786(2) Subsection 88(1) applies whether title to real property held in private ownership is acquired through a purchase, donation, or other means. 9089(3) In the case of a proposed purchase of private property, the division may publish notice after earnest money is paid. 9291(4) The published notice shall inform the public regarding: 9493(a) the proposed use of the real property; 9695(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; 9897© any changes to existing land uses that are anticipated; and 10099(d) the public comment submission process for comments on the proposed acquisition. 102101(5) The governor shall: 104103(a) submit a notification of the proposed acquisition to: 106105(i) the county executive of the county in which the real property is located; 108107(ii) the legislators of the legislative districts in which the real property is located; and 110109(iii) the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration; and 112111(b) invite those notified to submit comments on the proposed acquisition. 114113(6) After considering comments on the proposed acquisition, the governor may: 116115(a) approve the acquisition in whole or in part; or 118117(b) disapprove the acquisition.

119Section 5. Section 12023A-15-101 is amended to read: 121Chapter 15. Wolf and Grizzly Bear Management Act 12223A-15-101. Definitions. 123As used in this chapter: 125124(1) “Endangered Species Act” means the Endangered Species Act of 1973, 16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq. 126(2) 127"Grizzly bear" means the species Ursus arctos horribilis. 130128(2) 129(3) “Service” means the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 133131(3) 132(4) “Wolf” means the species Canis lupus.

134Section 6. Section 13523A-15-301 is enacted to read: 136Part 3. Grizzly Bear Management 13723A-15-301. Grizzly bear management. 138(1) 139If 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. 140(2) 141The 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. 142(3) 143Subsections 144(1) and (2) do not apply to a grizzly bear that is lawfully held in captivity and restrained.

145Section 7. Section 14623A-15-302 is enacted to read: 14723A-15-302. Rulemaking. 148The Wildlife Board may make administrative rules in accordance with Title 14963G, Chapter 3 , Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to manage the grizzly bear in accordance with Section 15023A-15-301 .

151Section 8. Section 15276-11-209 is amended to read: 15376-11-209. Improper discharging of a dangerous weapon. 155154(1) Terms defined in Sections 15676-1-101.5 , 15776-11-101 , and 15876-11-201 apply to this section. 160159(2) An actor commits improper discharging of a dangerous weapon if the actor 161: 163162(a) discharges a dangerous weapon: 166164(a) 165(i) from a vehicle; 169167(b) 168(ii) from, upon, or across a highway; 172170© 171(iii) at a road sign placed on a state highway; 175173(d) 174(iv) at communications equipment or property of public utilities including 176facilities, lines, poles, or devices 177a facility, line, pole, or device of transmission or distribution; 180178(e) 179(v) at railroad equipment or 181facilities 182facility including a sign or signal; 185183(f) 184(vi) within a Utah State Park building, designated camp or picnic 186sites, overlooks, golf courses, boat ramps, and developed beaches; or 187site, overlook, 188golf course, 189boat ramp, or developed beach; or 192190(g) 191(vii) without written permission to discharge the dangerous weapon from the owner or person in charge of the property within 600 feet of: 195193(i) 194(A) a house, dwelling, or other building; or 198196(ii) 197(B) a structure in which a domestic animal is kept or fed, including a barn, poultry yard, corral, feeding pen, or stockyard 199. 200; or 201(b) 202notwithstanding Subsection 203(2)(a)(vii) : 204(i) 205discharges a dangerous weapon while located on a waterfowl management area, as defined in Section 20623A-12-301 , or a wildlife management area, as defined in Section 20723A-6-101 ; 208(ii) 209is within 300 feet of: 210(A) 211a house, dwelling, or other building; or 212(B) 213a structure in which a domestic animal is kept or fed, including a barn, poultry yard, corral, feeding pen, or stockyard; and 214(iii) 215does not have written permission to discharge the dangerous weapon from the owner or person in charge of the property described in Subsection 216(2)(b)(ii) . 218217(3) A violation of Subsection 219(2) is a class B misdemeanor. 221220(4) In addition to any other penalties, the court shall: 223222(a) notify the Driver License Division of the conviction for purposes of 224any revocation, denial, suspension, or disqualification of a driver license under Subsection 22553-3-220(1)(a)(xi) ; and 227226(b) specify in court at the time of sentencing the length of the revocation under Subsection 22853-3-225(1)© . 230229(5) This section does not apply to an actor who: 232231(a) discharges a dangerous weapon in the lawful defense of the actor or another individual; 234233(b) is an individual listed in Subsections 23553-5a-108(1)(a) through (f) and is performing official duties as provided in Section 23623A-2-207 or 23779-2-704 or as otherwise provided by law; 239238© discharges a dangerous weapon from an automobile or other vehicle, if: 241240(i) the discharge occurs at a firing range or training ground; 243242(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 244(5)©(i) ; 246245(iii) the discharge is made as practice or training for a lawful purpose; 248247(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 250249(v) the discharge is not made in violation of Subsection ; or 252251(d) acting under a farm custom slaughter license, discharges a firearm or other dangerous weapon in accordance with Subsection 2534-32-108(3) . 255254(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