House amends fish and wildlife bill to expand protections for reptiles and amphibians and revise enforcement rules

The Vermont House advanced H.230 (management of fish and wildlife), adopting committee recommendations that broaden protections for reptiles and amphibians, revise jurisdiction and penalties for fish and wildlife violations, and repeal a small, seldom‑used farmer compensation program.

The committee sponsor described multiple statutory changes: establishing a free mentored fishing weekend, adjusting tournament permitting and fees, altering which court division handles fish and wildlife violations, increasing civil penalties for some big‑game offenses, and creating a prohibition (effective 01/01/2027) on intentional taking of reptiles and amphibians except by department rule. The bill also proposes restrictions on the import and sale of invasive pond slider turtles and would allow the Secretary of Natural Resources to keep the specific identities of certain threatened and endangered (T&E) species confidential in regulatory notices to better protect those animals.

Why it matters: The bill shifts many low‑level fish and wildlife violations away from criminal court to civil processes (subject to enumerated safeguards) and places new, species‑level protections for a part of Vermont’s fauna that witnesses told the committee are in decline. It also repeals a compensation program for crop damage by deer and black bear that the committee said was rarely used and not budgeted.

Key points and committee action

Representative Sakowitz (member from Randolph) presented the bill on behalf of the House Environment Committee and described why sections were proposed: the reptile and amphibian protections respond to…