Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee amends two hunting bills; recommends 'do not pass' on two others

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee considered four hunting-related bills at a committee meeting and took final committee votes on each: an amendment to Senate Bill 2155 passed, but the committee recommended a do‑not‑pass for the bill as amended; Senate Bill 2199 passed as amended with a due‑pass recommendation; Senate Bill 2168 (restrictions on hunting near buildings) and Senate Bill 2197 (crossbow use) both received do‑not‑pass recommendations.

Why it matters: The bills addressed how certain hunting licenses and privileges are allocated — including landowner “gratis” tags, bonus‑point treatment for 100% service‑disabled veterans, and crossbow allowances — and would affect state licensing procedures and Department of Game and Fish administration if later enacted.

SB 2155 (landowner/gratis pronghorn tags) Senator Gearhart presented and explained an amendment that would formalize a two‑group approach to pronghorn (antelope) licenses: a set of licenses “without charge” reserved for landowners and the remainder for the regular lottery. Gearhart described the amendment’s mechanics with an example: if 25 licenses are set aside for landowners and 30 landowner applicants apply, the amendment would run a lottery among the landowner applicants and then roll any unsuccessful gratis applications into the regular drawing while preserving the gratis conditions if they later draw a license.

Senator Gearhart said the change was intended to ensure that “those licenses are still … free and … bound to their own land,” and noted Game and Fish told the committee it “would take some extra programming” to earmark and roll applications between pools. The amendment to SB 2155 passed on a motion for a “due pass” (mover: Senator Gearhart; second: Senator Vander Plestink) by a 6–1 vote.

After debate, including objections that the measure reduces landowner benefits, the committee voted to recommend a do‑not‑pass on SB 2155 as amended (mover: Senator Behm; second: Senator Cassel). The clerk recorded a 7–0 vote in favor of the do‑not‑pass motion. Senator Baine agreed to carry the bill to the floor.

SB 2199 (bonus points for 100% service‑disabled veterans) Committee members considered an amendment to clarify that the bonus‑point treatment addressed by the bill would apply specifically to the regular deer gun lottery (to avoid ambiguity with other deer lotteries such as muzzleloader). Senator Gearhart moved the amendment and later the committee adopted a legislative‑counsel (LC) clarification to reference the regular deer gun lottery in the amendment language (mover: Senator Gearhart; second: Senator Behm). The amendment passed unanimously, 7–0.

The committee then voted to give SB 2199 a due‑pass recommendation as amended (mover: Senator Gearhart; second: Senator Beard). Members discussed a small fiscal note tied to implementation — a committee member referenced a $10,000 figure for programming — and confirmed the level did not trigger an appropriations referral. The due‑pass recommendation passed 7–0. Senator Gearhart agreed to carry the bill.

SB 2168 (hunting near buildings and occupied structures) Committee members noted extensive testimony opposing the bill and concerns that the proposal as drafted was “too restrictive.” After discussion, Senator Cassel moved a do‑not‑pass recommendation; the motion was seconded and passed 7–0. Senator Inghitt agreed to be the carrier.

SB 2197 (deer hunting with crossbow) Committee discussion focused on overlap with existing handicap crossbow permits and the relative effectiveness of crossbows versus bows and guns. Some members said the existing handicap permit process may already address the problem the bill seeks to solve and raised questions about where the technology and rules would eventually lead. Senator Gearhart moved a do‑not‑pass recommendation, the motion was seconded, and the committee recorded a 7–0 vote in favor of do‑not‑pass. Senator Van Oosting agreed to carry the bill.

Votes at a glance - SB 2155 (as amended): Amendment adopted (due‑pass on amendment) — 6 yea, 1 nay; final committee motion: Do Not Pass on SB 2155 as amended — 7 yea, 0 nay. Carrier: Senator Baine. - SB 2199 (as amended): Amendment adopting bonus‑point language for 100% service‑disabled veterans and clarifying it applies to the regular deer gun lottery — adopted 7–0; final committee motion: Due Pass (as amended) — 7 yea, 0 nay. Carrier: Senator Gearhart. - SB 2168: Do Not Pass — 7 yea, 0 nay. Carrier: Senator Inghitt. - SB 2197: Do Not Pass — 7 yea, 0 nay. Carrier: Senator Van Oosting.

Committee comments and implementation notes Senator Behm warned the committee the changes in SB 2155 “take[] some of [landowners’] benefits away” and expressed concern about preserving private‑landowner incentives. Senator Gearhart stressed the amendment’s intention was to preserve gratis conditions for landowners while giving unsuccessful landowner applicants an additional opportunity in the regular drawing; he cautioned the Department of Game and Fish would need additional programming to implement the rollover. Committee members also discussed whether bonus‑point language should apply to multiple deer lotteries or be limited to the regular deer gun lottery; the committee adopted language clarifying the scope.

Looking ahead Committee leadership said upcoming hearings will include CO2 and weather‑modification bills and a set of wildland‑fire mitigation and coordination proposals; members described one planned bill as a shell study to bring agencies together for post‑fire coordination and another to examine transmission‑line wildfire mitigation and liability. The schedule and room assignments were discussed near the meeting’s close.

Ending The committee recorded unanimous or near‑unanimous committee votes on several measures and made clear choices about which bills to advance to the floor and which to recommend against. The Department of Game and Fish will likely need to estimate and, where required, undertake programming changes for any enacted changes to license‑assignment or bonus‑point rules.