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Representative introduces bill to narrow vehicle‑hunting ban; committee pauses for agency amendment and to continue next meeting
Summary
Representative Aleman introduced House Bill 211 to clarify the statute prohibiting hunting from vehicles so it applies only to species that require a license or are protected; the Game and Fish Department proposed referencing Wyoming protected‑species statute and the committee deferred further action to the next scheduled meeting.
Representative Alex Aleman introduced House Bill 211 to modify the statute that bars hunting from vehicles, aircraft or similar conveyances. The bill would make the prohibition apply to wildlife that requires a license or permit to take, or wildlife listed as threatened or endangered under Wyoming or federal law, rather than the current phrasing. Aleman said his constituent was facing a potential charge for shooting a prairie dog from a vehicle and that the current statute’s reach created what he called an overly harsh penalty for incidents involving species that do not require a license.
Aleman told the committee the penalty tied to the existing statute is a high misdemeanor and that, under the code cited, a conviction can carry a fine of up to $10,000 or up to one year in jail. “This fine is a high misdemeanor... This fine is up to $10,000 and or 1 year in jail,” he said.
Agency response and proposed fix
Director Angie Bruce and department wildlife supervisors described statutory overlap and recommended a technical amendment that would reference the state’s protected‑species statute so the bill’s language aligns with existing definitions. Matt Withroder and John Lund (wildlife supervisors) said items already protected under Wyoming statute and separate protected‑birds provisions would remain prohibited, and that the proposed amendment would clarify rather than expand existing protections.
Committee action
Committee members discussed the wording and noted confusion from the current draft’s long sentence construction; several said the bill aligns with the intent to reserve the highest penalties for species that are protected or for licensed takes. With committee time limited at the end of the hearing the chair agreed to carry the item over: Game and Fish will supply the proposed statutory citation (Wyoming statute references for protected species), and the committee will resume consideration at the next scheduled meeting.
Ending
House Bill 211 was introduced and discussed; the department offered a technical amendment referencing Wyoming protected‑species statutes and the committee deferred final action and formal amendments to the next TRW meeting to allow the department and sponsors to refine language.
