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SB 2155

AN ACT to amend and reenact subsection 5 of section 20.1-03-11 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to gratis antelope licenses.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26) Introduced by Brad Bekkedahl and 3 co-sponsors

ND SB 2155 limits gratis pronghorn licenses to at most 50% of district/type licenses and uses lottery for any excess, shifting from automatic free licenses to landowners/lessees.

Filed with Secretary Of State 04/22
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Bill Summary · SB 2155

Summary — SB 2155 (North Dakota)

Title: An Act to amend and reenact subsection 5 of section 20.1‑03‑11 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to gratis antelope licenses

Status / Timeline
- Introduced: March 10, 2025.
- Committee: House Energy and Natural Resources Committee adopted proposed amendments March 27, 2025.
- Legislative actions: Passed both chambers following amendments and conference committee.
- Signed by Governor: June 20, 2025 (record notes “see remarks for effective date” — consult the Governor’s signing remarks or Secretary of State filing for the precise effective date).
- Filed with Secretary of State: April 22, 2025 (document packet includes final enrollment and related records).

Note: the legislative packet provided contains an unrelated Illinois SB 2155 (gaming) text. This summary addresses the North Dakota SB 2155 concerning gratis antelope (pronghorn) licenses.

Purpose and intent
- To revise eligibility and allocation rules for gratis (no‑charge) antelope/pronghorn hunting licenses that are issued based on agricultural land ownership or lease. The changes limit and clarify how many gratis licenses may be issued per district/unit and add lottery procedures governing distribution.

Key provisions and changes
- Eligibility:
- Retains eligibility for residents (individual or business entities including corporations, LLCs, partnerships, trusts, life estates) who either hold title to or have an agricultural lease on at least 150 acres (60.70 hectares) they actively farm or ranch.
- Land must be within a unit/district open to antelope hunting. The gratis license must include a legal description and may be used only on that described land.
- Lessees must provide proof the land is leased for agricultural purposes upon request. If an agricultural lease does not specify otherwise, the landowner is entitled to receive the license.
- Individuals issued such a license must be residents.

  • Corporate/entity applications:

    • If the eligible applicant is an entity (corporation, LLC, partnership, trust, life estate), only one gratis license may be issued to that entity and it must be issued in the name of an individual shareholder, member, partner, beneficiary, or life‑estate holder.

  • Transferability:

    • A qualifying resident may transfer eligibility to a spouse or legal dependent who customarily resides with the resident. No more than one gratis license may be issued for any qualifying land. A resident who transfers eligibility cannot also receive a gratis license for that season.

  • Limits and lottery allocation (major substantive change):

    • The total number of gratis licenses issued under this subsection for a district/unit may not exceed one‑half of the number of any pronghorn license type prescribed for that district/unit in the governor’s proclamation (language replaces/clarifies prior caps).
    • If eligible applicants exceed the number of gratis licenses available (after accounting for any licenses designated to be issued with a charge), gratis licenses are to be issued by lottery per the governor’s proclamation.
    • Special rule for large allocations: if the total number of licenses prescribed for a district/unit exceeds 50 and applications exceed available licenses, then one‑half of the licenses that exceed 50 must be issued by lottery and may not be issued to landowners without charge.
    • If an eligible person fails to get a gratis license in that initial lottery, their application may be entered into a lottery for any remaining (paid or otherwise remaining) licenses for the district/unit as set out in the governor’s proclamation.

Who is affected
- Primary: North Dakota resident landowners and agricultural lessees with at least 150 acres used for farming/ranching in pronghorn hunting units who currently qualify for gratis antelope licenses.
- Secondary: hunting applicants statewide, because the change reduces the proportion of licenses automatically issued gratis to landowners/lessees (caps at one‑half by license type) and expands lottery allocation — potentially increasing competition for both gratis and remaining licenses.
- Agencies: Game and Fish Department must implement the clarified legal‑description requirements, proof procedures, and the modified lottery/allocation rules per the governor’s pronghorn proclamation.

Practical effects / considerations
- The bill narrows the automatic allocation of free antelope licenses to landowners/lessees by capping gratis issuance at one‑half of each pronghorn license type per district/unit and subjecting certain excess licenses (and portions of large districts) to lottery distribution.
- Clarifies administrative details (proof of agricultural lease, single license per entity, transfer rules).
- Hunters and landowners should review the governor’s pronghorn proclamation and Game and Fish guidance for implementation details (lottery procedures, any designation of paid licenses, timelines).

Procedural note
- Because the governor’s proclamation determines the number/type of pronghorn licenses per district/unit and lottery rules referenced in the statute, implementation depends on that annual proclamation and Game and Fish operational procedures.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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