House advances technical amendments to hunting-distance bill amid Game and Fish safety concerns

The Arizona House’s committee of the whole on Wednesday recommended that Senate Bill 10-53, as amended, do pass and the full chamber adopted the committee report, advancing the measure to engrossing.

The bill drew extended floor comment from lawmakers and a formal statement of opposition from Arizona Game and Fish, which said the proposal as written is “incomplete” and risks public-safety and hunting management confusion.

Supporters and the amendment sponsor characterized the changes considered on the floor as technical corrections. Representative Collin said the amendment ‘‘contains technical amendments only,’’ and Representative Marshall moved the committee report recommending the bill ‘‘do pass’’ after floor amendments were adopted.

Representative Marquez read Arizona Game and Fish’s submitted opposition on the House floor, saying the commission believes the current one-quarter-mile rule is ‘‘effective and remains relevant to public safety, responsible wildlife management, and outdoor recreation in Arizona.’’ Marquez said the commission noted the bill’s definitions ‘‘are problematic’’ and gave examples including shotgun shot size and whether single-projectile slugs or ‘‘air bows’’ fall within the bill’s archery language.

Marquez warned that the bill originates from ‘‘one individual’’ seeking a shorter discharge distance near a cabin off Lake Mary Road south of Flagstaff. He described the proposal as reducing the distance to one-eighth of a mile (660 feet or about 220 yards) and cited a chart from the NRA Range Sourcebook showing common shotgun pellets can travel roughly 250 yards. ‘‘Changing the distance to the discharge or archery equipment for reduced distance is a significant public policy and public safety concern,’’ Marquez said, asking for further stakeholder engagement.

Representative Marshall urged colleagues to ‘‘vote for a good hunting bill’’ and characterized the floor amendment as aligning with prior, narrowly framed changes. The chair called the question on the committee report and the House adopted it; there was no roll-call tally recorded at the committee-adoption point on the floor transcript beyond the clerk’s announcement that the ayes had it.

Why it matters: The bill would change statutory language governing how far hunters may discharge firearms or archery equipment from structures or property, a rule that state wildlife managers say affects safety planning, range design, and liability calculations. Lawmakers and the commission flagged ambiguities about the bill’s weapon definitions and whether the shorter distance could increase risks in areas with residential or recreational use.

Next steps: The House sent the bill as amended to engrossing after adopting the committee report. Further committee reports, engrossing and third-reading actions will determine final passage.

Speakers: Representative Marquez; Representative Collin; Representative Marshall; Representative Gillette; Majority Leader Michael Carbone.

Discussion only vs. formal action: The committee of the whole formally recommended that SB 10-53 as amended ‘‘do pass’’; the House adopted the committee report and advanced the bill to engrossing. Concerns voiced by Arizona Game and Fish and several members were recorded as floor comment; no substantive textual changes beyond the described technical corrections were reported on the floor beyond adoption of the floor amendment and the committee report.