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HB 326

Animal Depredation Amendments

2026 General Session Introduced by Derrin Owens and 1 co-sponsor

HB 326 modifies Utah's animal depredation laws governing livestock predator responses, affecting rancher protections and wildlife management authority as it advances through Senate consideration.

Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee]
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Bill Summary · HB 326

Legislative bill overview

HB 326 amends Utah's animal depredation laws, which govern how livestock owners and wildlife managers respond to predatory animals damaging or killing livestock. The bill has passed the House and received a favorable recommendation from the Senate Natural Resources Committee, currently moving through the Senate.

Why is this important

Animal depredation directly affects agricultural economics in rural Utah, where ranchers face financial losses from predators like wolves, coyotes, and bears. The legal framework determines what control methods are available to farmers and how wildlife management agencies operate, balancing agricultural interests against wildlife conservation concerns.

Potential points of contention

  • Predator control methods: Expansion or clarification of what lethal removal tactics ranchers can legally employ may face opposition from wildlife conservation groups
  • Wildlife management authority: Changes to how state wildlife agencies versus private landowners handle depredation could shift regulatory power and raise concerns about oversight
  • Species-specific impacts: If the bill targets particular predators (wolves, bears, etc.), it may intensify debates between agricultural and conservation constituencies

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

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