2014 -- H 7344 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE - DEER HUNTING

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Walsh, Costantino, Chippendale, and Bennett

     Date Introduced: February 06, 2014

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 20-15-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-15 entitled "Deer

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Hunting" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     20-15-3. Permit to landowner to protect property. -- (a) Any person owning or

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occupying any property and any employee of that person, while on that person's premises, may

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kill any deer found destroying any crops, vegetables, or fruit trees, or otherwise causing damage

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to that property; provided, however, that this person shall not kill any deer unless he or she has

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obtained a permit from the director to do so. The director, on application, may issue the permit to

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any responsible owner or the owner's employee, provided that no such permit shall be issued until

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the director has determined that actual damage has been done to crops, vegetables, fruit trees, or

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other property by any deer, and that no practical alternative to the shooting of the deer is

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available. This permit shall be issued on an annual basis for a period of five (5) years at a fee of

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twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Any person taking or wounding a deer under the permit shall report

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the taking or wounding to a conservation officer or other designee of the director within twenty-

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four (24) hours of the taking or wounding.

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     (b) Hunting shall only be permitted from one half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one half

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(1/2) hour after sunset; provided that the director, subject to terms and conditions to be set forth

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by regulation, may authorize hunting at other times on farmlands; and further provided, that these

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farms have experienced severe deer damage to a cash crop or crops, and have attempted

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unsuccessfully other reasonable means of controlling the damage, including daylight hunting; and

 

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provided further, that the director determines whether these farmlands are of sufficient size to

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support night hunting without endangering the public safety. A night hunting permit may be

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issued by the director to any responsible owner or the owner's employee, provided that no such

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permit shall be issued until the director has determined that actual damage has been done to

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crops, vegetables, fruit trees, or other property by any deer, and that no practical alternative to the

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shooting of the deer is available. This permit shall be issued on an annual basis for a period of

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five (5) years at a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

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      (c) Under the authority of the director, the division of agriculture shall be responsible for

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administering the provisions of this section as they relate to farmers, and may also be responsible

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for administering this section as it relates to other landowners.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE - DEER HUNTING

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     This act would allow the director of the department of environmental management to

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issue permits every five (5) years, instead of annually, to a landowner for the protection of

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property and crop destruction caused by deer.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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