Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Landowner Permit Rule topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
RAC endorses rule amendments implementing HB202 landowner permit provisions
Summary
The council unanimously approved amendments to the landowner permit rule (R657-43) that implement changes required by HB202 and add division criteria for discretionary vouchers and contiguous-acreage vouchers.
The Northern Regional Advisory Council unanimously recommended rule amendments to R657-43, the landowner-permit rule, intended to implement recent legislative changes under HB202 and to add specific division criteria for allocating landowner vouchers.
Division staff explained that much of the change was driven by statute and therefore not subject to the division's discretion, but staff also proposed objective criteria in several areas to guide implementation. One notable statutory element creates vouchers for landowners holding contiguous parcels between 4,000 and 8,999 acres; the division said it will vet applications and confirm contiguity before issuing those vouchers. Staff acknowledged some evaluation will remain subjective, including assessments of a landowner's tolerance for wildlife and historical contributions, and said they would base discretionary decisions on the strongest available records and relationships with landowners.
Public commenters and several RAC members criticized the policy's overall direction, with some saying it amounts to privatizing public wildlife opportunity by channeling tags to private landowners. Division staff replied that they were constrained by statute and were trying to implement fair criteria and auditability where possible. The RAC voted unanimously to recommend the regulation changes as presented.
What happens next: the recommendation will go to the wildlife board for formal consideration. Division staff said they will publish criteria and an audit process for voucher administration and will document decisions to support transparency.
