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Committee backs clarifying changes to nonresident trapping license rules
Summary
The committee unanimously advanced House Bill 29, a statutory clarification to furbearing trapping licensing for nonresidents; Game and Fish told members the change would have minimal fiscal impact and that species permissions are listed on issued licenses.
The committee reported House Bill 29 do‑pass after receiving agency testimony that the bill clarifies nonresident furbearing trapping license issuance.
Representative Davis, who brought the bill, said the changes arose from fur‑trapper concerns about a statutory ambiguity. Dan Smith, chief of the Wildlife Division at the Game and Fish Department, explained the current process: nonresident applicants submit a notarized affidavit and a copy of their home state’s regulations, and the department confirms reciprocity (for example, Utah allows trapping of several species by nonresidents, while North Dakota protects certain species such as martens). Smith said applications average about 33 nonresident furbearing license requests per year and that the proposed language should have minimal fiscal impact.
Committee members asked technical questions about species lists and license wording. After closing public testimony, the committee took a roll call and reported the bill as do‑pass on a unanimous vote. The bill will move to the next legislative stage for fiscal review and possible floor action.
