Bill
HB 1237
Creates a North Dakota nonresident upland/small-game license (excludes waterfowl) with governor-proclaimed issuance caps, affecting access, enforcement, and revenue.
Status (as provided)
- Bill number: HB 1237
- Title: Create a new section to NDCC chapter 20.1‑03 relating to nonresident upland and small game licenses; amend and reenact section 20.1‑03‑07 (nonresident hunting licenses).
- Introduced: November 12, 2024
- Reported status (as provided): Second reading — failed to pass (yeas 4, nays 86).
Purpose and intent
- To authorize and define a specific nonresident “upland and small game” hunting license in state law and to amend existing nonresident license provisions so the statutory framework clearly accommodates nonresident upland/small‑game hunters.
Key provisions
- New statutory section (chapter 20.1‑03): Creates a nonresident upland and small game license that allows nonresidents to hunt upland and small game (explicitly excluding waterfowl) during the entire upland and small game hunting seasons.
- Governor proclamation authority: The governor may, by proclamation, specify (1) the number of these nonresident upland/small‑game licenses to be issued and (2) the manner in which they are issued (e.g., lottery, first‑come, quota).
- Amendment to NDCC 20.1‑03‑07: Reissues the state’s nonresident license requirements (small game, trapping/fur‑bearer, fishing, nongame, and big game) and retains specific rules for nonresident small game licenses, including:
- A nonresident small game license entitles the holder to hunt small game for either a 14‑consecutive‑day period or two 7‑consecutive‑day periods (the chosen period must be designated on the license).
- Nonresident small game licenses are not required for waterfowl (see cross‑references) or for wild turkey where separate rules apply.
- A nonresident may purchase more than one nonresident small game license per year.
- Restrictions and exceptions for trapping protected fur‑bearing animals, fishing, nongame, and big game are restated.
- Each violation of the licensing provisions is a distinct offense.
Who is affected
- Primary: Nonresident hunters who wish to hunt upland and small game in North Dakota (e.g., pheasant, grouse, cottontail, other upland species, excluding waterfowl).
- Secondary: State wildlife management agencies (licensing administration, enforcement, population monitoring), resident hunters (potentially affected by allocation/harvest pressures), and license vendors.
- Also affects the governor’s office because of authority to set issuance/quotas by proclamation.
Potential impacts and considerations
- Access & revenue: Establishing a specific nonresident upland/small‑game license could broaden legal access for nonresident hunters and may increase license revenue for the state.
- Wildlife management: Allowing unlimited issuance (absent proclamation limits) or a large number of nonresident licenses could affect harvest levels; the governor’s authority to limit numbers is a built‑in management tool.
- Enforcement/administration: Departments administering hunting licenses will need to implement any new license type, application/issuance procedures, and record‑keeping; law enforcement must enforce the amended statutory rules and applicable seasons/limits.
- Interactions with existing law: The bill explicitly excludes waterfowl from this license and refers to other licensing sections (e.g., 20.1‑08‑04.9), so cross‑referencing and regulatory updates would be needed for consistent application.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Introduced November 12, 2024.
- According to the information provided, the bill failed on second reading by a recorded vote of yeas 4, nays 86 (i.e., did not advance/passed into law in that session). If reintroduced, similar statutory language could be considered again in a future session.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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