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Assembly committee advances bill narrowing 'unintentional' bear-feeding exemption amid drafting questions
Summary
The Assembly Commerce Committee favorably released A360, a bill that narrows the 'unintentional feeding' exemption in New Jersey's black-bear feeding law and directs civil penalties to municipalities. Supporters said municipal fines create local enforcement incentives; critics pressed the panel to clarify whether the change would affect deer-baiting and hunting rules.
A New Jersey Assembly committee on Wednesday voted to advance A360, a bill that would tighten the state's prohibition on feeding black bears by removing a broad "unintentional feeding" exemption and replacing it with a specific list of activities that are not considered feeding. The bill also redirects civil penalties for violations to the municipality where the infraction occurs instead of to the Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Environmental Protection.
Proponents said the change will reduce human-bear conflicts by focusing enforcement and encouraging municipalities to address attractants such as unsecured garbage and bird feeders. "By structuring the fines so that they go to the…
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