SB 210

Current law generally prohibits a local governmental unit from enacting or

adopting any ordinance or restriction (restriction) that regulates hunting, fishing,

trapping, or management of wild animals except on land the local governmental unit

owns or leases or unless state law specifically authorizes the local governmental unit

to enact or adopt such restriction. Current statutes also specify that a local

governmental unit may enact or adopt a restriction that has an incidental effect on

hunting, fishing, or trapping, but only if the primary purpose is to further public

health or safety.

This bill provides, with exceptions, that a local governmental unit may not

enact or adopt a restriction that prohibits hunting with a bow and arrow or crossbow

within the jurisdiction of that local governmental unit. Under one exception

provided in the bill, a local governmental unit may prohibit a person from hunting

with a bow and arrow or crossbow within a specified distance, not to exceed 100

yards, of a building used for human occupancy that is located on another person's

land. The bill specifies that the enacted or adopted restriction must provide that it

does not apply if the person who owns the land on which the building is located allows

the hunter to hunt with a bow and arrow or crossbow within the specified distance

of the building. The bill also allows a local governmental unit to require a person who

hunts with a bow and arrow or crossbow to discharge the arrow or bolt from the

respective weapon toward the ground.