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Committee clears cleanup bill recognizing text-to-tag deer-harvest validation
Summary
House Bill 219 was reported favorably May 14, 2025. The bill updates deer identification requirements to reflect the department’s text-to-tag electronic validation system, removing certain physical tagging requirements after electronic validation.
The Committee on Natural Resources on May 14, 2025, reported House Bill 219 favorably. The bill would update deer identification requirements to reflect LDWF’s text-to-tag harvest validation system.
Cole Garrett, general counsel for the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, told the committee the text-to-tag program allows hunters to validate a deer immediately by texting harvest information to the department, which records the harvest. Garrett said that validation removes the need for retaining antlers or other physical identifiers that were previously used to verify a harvest under older rules.
Senators had no substantive objections on the record. Senator DePessis moved to report HB 219 favorably; the committee recorded no objections and reported the bill favorably.
