Senate File 260 - Introduced SENATE FILE 260 BY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1093) A BILL FOR An Act relating to wildlife, including the treatment of beaver 1 dams, identification for traps, snares, and tree stands, 2 and maximum fur dealer license fees, and making penalties 3 applicable. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 2383SV (4) 91 sb/js

S.F. 260 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 481A.41 Tree stands for hunting 1 deer on public land —— identification —— prohibition. 2 1. A person shall not place a tree stand for hunting 3 deer on public land unless the stand is affixed with and 4 exhibits a metal plate that plainly shows the department-issued 5 identification number of the owner of the stand. A person who 6 fails to properly identify a tree stand placed on public land 7 belonging to the person is subject to a scheduled fine under 8 section 805.8B, subsection 3, paragraph “b” . 9 2. An owner of a tree stand placed on public land shall not 10 be held liable for damage to personal property or an injury 11 resulting from another person’s use of the tree stand. 12 3. The natural resource commission shall adopt rules 13 pursuant to chapter 17A to implement this section. 14 Sec. 2. Section 481A.90, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 15 to read as follows: 16 2. This section does not prohibit the owner , the owner’s 17 agent, or a drainage district from destroying a den or 18 breaching or altering a beaver dam to protect the owner’s 19 property. 20 Sec. 3. Section 481A.92, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended 21 to read as follows: 22 1. A person shall not use or attempt to use colony traps in 23 taking, capturing, trapping, or killing any game or fur-bearing 24 animals except muskrats as determined by rule of the 25 commission. Box traps capable of capturing more than one game 26 or fur-bearing animal at each setting are prohibited. A valid 27 hunting license is required for box trapping cottontail rabbits 28 and squirrels. All traps and snares used for the taking of 29 fur-bearing animals shall have a metal tag attached plainly 30 labeled with the user’s department-issued identification number 31 or name and address. All traps and snares, except those which 32 that are placed entirely under water, shall be checked at 33 least once every twenty-four hours. Officers appointed by the 34 department may confiscate such traps and snares found in use 35 -1- LSB 2383SV (4) 91 sb/js 1/ 3

S.F. 260 that are not properly labeled or checked. 1 Sec. 4. Section 481A.95, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 2 by striking the subsection and inserting in lieu thereof the 3 following: 4 2. Fees for a license issued under this section shall 5 be no more than fifty dollars annually for a resident or a 6 nonresident fur dealer. 7 Sec. 5. Section 805.8B, subsection 3, paragraph b, Code 8 2025, is amended to read as follows: 9 b. For violations of section 481A.41, subsection 1, sections 10 481A.54 , 481A.69 , 481A.71 , 481A.72 , 482.6 , 483A.3 , 483A.6 , 11 483A.8A , 483A.19 , 483A.27 , and 483A.27A , the scheduled fine is 12 thirty dollars. 13 EXPLANATION 14 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 15 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 16 This bill relates to wildlife, including the treatment of 17 beaver dams, identification for traps, snares, and tree stands, 18 and maximum fur dealer license fees. 19 The bill requires that a stand placed on public land for 20 hunting deer be affixed with and exhibit a metal plate that 21 plainly shows the department-issued identification number 22 of the owner of the stand. An owner who does not properly 23 identify a tree stand placed on public land belonging to the 24 owner is subject to a scheduled fine of $30. The bill provides 25 that an owner of a tree stand placed on public land shall not 26 be held liable for damage to personal property or an injury 27 resulting from another person’s use of the tree stand. The 28 natural resource commission shall adopt rules to implement the 29 provisions of the bill relating to tree stands. 30 Under current law, a person is generally prohibited from 31 disturbing, in any manner, any den, lodge, or house of a 32 fur-bearing animal or beaver dam except with written permission 33 of an officer appointed by the director. The bill allows a 34 property owner, the property owner’s agent, or a drainage 35 -2- LSB 2383SV (4) 91 sb/js 2/ 3

S.F. 260 district to breach or alter a beaver dam to protect the 1 person’s property. 2 Under current law, all traps and snares used for the taking 3 of fur-bearing animals require a metal tag attached plainly 4 labeled with the user’s name and address. The bill allows the 5 user the option of labeling the trap or snare with the user’s 6 department-issued identification number instead of the user’s 7 name and address. 8 The bill creates a maximum fur dealer license fee of $50, 9 regardless of resident status. Under current administrative 10 rules, a resident fur dealer license costs $264 annually and 11 a nonresident fur dealer license costs $586.50 annually or 12 $292.50 for one day and one location. Current law allows 13 residents from another state to purchase a fur dealer license 14 for the set fee unless that state has reciprocity with Iowa, in 15 which case the nonresident shall pay the reciprocity fee amount 16 that is less than the nonresident license fee but more than the 17 Iowa resident license fee. 18 -3- LSB 2383SV (4) 91 sb/js 3/ 3