HB 4029 — Timeline for posting revisions to hunting, fishing, and trapping regulations (Michigan)
Status and sponsor
- Introduced Jan. 28, 2025 by Rep. Bradley Slagh (Natural Resources and Tourism Committee).
- H-1 substitute adopted in committee; passed the Michigan House (April 30, 2025). Referred to the Senate (Committee on Government Operations) for further consideration.
- Subject statutes: MCL 324.40113a and 324.41103 (Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act).
Purpose / intent
- To ensure hunters, trappers, and anglers have timely access to regulatory changes before seasons begin by (1) setting a cutoff date after which new Natural Resources Commission (NRC) orders cannot take effect in the same year’s season and (2) requiring the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to publish and make printed annual guides available by a fixed date.
Key provisions
- Deadline for NRC orders (MCL 324.40113a)
- The NRC must issue orders regulating the taking of game following a public meeting and public input.
- Orders issued on or after June 1 of a given year are not valid for that year’s hunting or trapping seasons and instead take effect the following season.
- At least 30 days before issuing an order, the commission must provide a copy to:
- Members of each legislative standing committee (Senate and House) that considers conservation, environment, natural resources, recreation, tourism, or agriculture;
- Chairpersons of the Senate and House appropriations committees;
- Members of the appropriations subcommittees that consider the DNR budget.
- Public notice and annual guide (MCL 324.41103)
- If the DNR issues area- or species-specific protective orders (suspending/abridging seasons or regulating take), those orders must clearly describe affected areas, species, and duration (not to exceed 5 years).
- The DNR shall publish the annual hunting, fishing, and trapping guides and make printed copies available to the public no later than August 15 each year.
- Existing newspaper-publication options for notice of orders remain described in statute (publication at least 21–60 days before an order takes effect, where applicable).
Who is affected
- Hunters, trappers, anglers and other recreational users (will receive regulatory changes earlier or with clearer deadlines).
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources (implementation, printing/distribution of guides).
- Natural Resources Commission (scheduling of regulatory orders).
- Legislative committees and appropriations leadership (will receive advance copies of prospective orders).
- Licensed agents and DNR field offices (distribution points for printed guides).
Fiscal impact
- The House Fiscal Agency estimates possible increased costs to the DNR for producing printed guides by Aug. 15 annually; the increase is expected to be small since DNR already publishes these materials.
Effective considerations / timeline
- The June 1 cutoff in the H‑1 substitute was intended to give DNR time to implement orders and to ensure guides are printed by Aug. 15.
- Further action required by the Senate (committee hearings, potential amendments) before final enactment.
