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House approves bill to regulate who can administer drugs to wildlife
Summary
The Utah House passed Senate Bill 13 after debate on training and oversight for administering sedatives and contraceptives to wildlife; supporters said it fills a regulatory gap, opponents warned of potential misuse. The bill passed 67-5 and returns to the Senate.
The Utah House on Feb. 4 approved Senate Bill 13, a measure that gives the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) authority to regulate who may administer pharmaceutical and chemical substances to wildlife and under what training and authorization standards. The vote was 67 in favor and 5 opposed.
The bill’s House sponsor, Representative Barris, told lawmakers the measure responds to a growing market of wildlife-targeted drugs — from sedatives used to capture and relocate animals to contraceptives — and is meant to ensure they are handled by authorized, trained personnel. "There are many new wildlife-targeted drugs that will soon be available," Barris said in presenting the bill, and DWR needs authority "to put the rules in place to see that this is done" safely.
During questioning, Representative Webb described a longstanding elk-feeding operation in Cache Valley and asked whether the bill would preclude that family from continuing to medic nate animals; Barris replied that the bill allows authorized and trained people to perform such work and is designed to avoid unintended restrictions on benign, longstanding practices. Representative Hutchings raised whether federal oversight already covers protected species; Barris responded that SB13 primarily targets non-protected wildlife and is aimed at preventing untrained individuals from causing harm.
Critics cautioned about possible uses of fertility-control drugs. Representative Draxler said some groups could use contraceptives to limit hunting opportunities and urged members to protect traditional wildlife-management approaches. Supporters said the training and authorization framework would limit misuse while preserving lawful research and veterinary work.
The House closed debate and voted to pass SB13; the bill will be returned to the Senate for further consideration. The tally recorded 67 yes and 5 no votes.
What happens next: The measure is to be returned to the Senate for concurrence and the President’s signature processes. The House record shows the vote and that the sponsor intends DWR to draft implementing rules under the authority SB13 would provide.
