Bill
HB 103
HB 103 allows qualifying NC American Indian tribal members to hunt, trap, or fish on tribal land or off tribal land without state licenses, with ID verification and remaining compl
Purpose
- HB 103 creates a statutory exemption from state hunting, trapping, and fishing license requirements for qualifying American Indian/tribal members. The stated intent is to recognize tribal members’ rights to hunt, trap, and fish on tribal land and, for resident tribal members, to allow certain off‑reservation subsistence or recreational take without state licenses, subject to specified conditions.
Key provisions
- Amends G.S. 113‑276(l1) to add two exemptions:
1. Tribal‑land exemption — A member of an Indian tribe recognized under Chapter 71A of the General Statutes is exempt from statewide licensing requirements when hunting, trapping, or fishing on tribal land. “Tribal land” is limited to real property owned by a State‑recognized tribe under Chapter 71A.
2. Resident tribal member exemption (off tribal land) — A North Carolina resident who (a) is a member of a tribe recognized under Chapter 71A or (b) holds an ID card from a Native nation may be exempt from licensing when hunting, trapping, or fishing off tribal land.
- Identification and verification — A person relying on either exemption must possess and produce proper identification confirming membership in a State‑recognized tribe (for tribal‑land exemption) or membership in a State‑recognized or federally recognized tribe (for the resident exemption) when requested by a wildlife enforcement officer.
- Continued obligations — A person exempted under the bill must still comply with:
- All statutory or Wildlife Resources Commission reporting requirements;
- Hunter education requirements in G.S. 113‑270.1A;
- Federal migratory waterfowl stamp purchase requirements; and
- Any other laws or rules that apply to holders of North Carolina hunting/fishing licenses.
- Limitation — The exemption does not apply to licenses issued under Article 14A, 14B, or 25A of Chapter 113 (i.e., certain specialized license categories remain subject to licensing).
Who is affected
- Primary: Members of North Carolina tribes recognized under Chapter 71A (on tribal land) and resident members or persons with Native nation ID (for off‑tribal take).
- Secondary: Wildlife enforcement officers (verification duties); North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (rules enforcement, reporting); potential effect on state license revenue and enforcement workload.
Procedural status & timeline (from bill documents)
- Introduced/Filed: February 11, 2025 (House filing and referral recorded Feb 12, 2025).
- Committee referrals: Referred to Federal Relations & American Indian Affairs — with serial referrals to State & Local Government, Regulatory Reform, Wildlife Resources; later entries show serial referrals were stricken.
- Effective date if enacted: October 1, 2025 (statutory text sets this effective date).
Potential impacts to note
- Fiscal: Possible small reduction in license fee revenue for affected individuals; the bill does not include a fiscal note in the provided text.
- Administrative/enforcement: Wildlife officers will need to verify tribal membership IDs when the exemption is claimed; the Commission may need to clarify reporting and enforcement procedures.
- Legal scope: The exemption is narrowly drawn (tribal land defined as tribe‑owned real property) and retains a number of standard statutory requirements (hunter education, reporting, federal stamp), so it is a limited carve‑out rather than a broad license waiver.
Statutory reference
- Amends G.S. 113‑276(l1).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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