SB 146 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF CROPS AND LIVESTOCK FROM CERTAIN WILDLIFE.

Senate General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

14672 February Session, 2026 LCOSubstitute Senate Bill No.

836146 ReferredSenate, toMarch 19, 2026 The Committee on ENVIRONMENTEnvironment Introducedreported by:through SEN.

(ENV)LOPES ANof ACTthe CONCERNING6th THEDist., PROTECTIONChairperson OFof LIVESTOCKthe FROMCommittee CERTAINon WILDLIFE.the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF CROPS AND LIVESTOCK FROM CERTAIN WILDLIFE.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may issue permits for the taking of wildlife that threatens,threatens [or]or causes damage to agricultural crops, livestock or apiariesapiaries, [,] or that caused damage to crops during the preceding growing season, as verified by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection if:

(1) The owner or lessee of the subject property utilized reasonable nonlethal efforts to protect such [crops,] apiaries or livestock, including, but not limited to, electric fencing, animal guardians or fortified enclosed structures, and (2) an investigation by Department of Energy and Environmental Protection personnel determines that the taking of such wildlife is necessary to protectsSB146 agricultural/ crops,File apiaries or livestock from LCO No.

83672 1 ofsSB146 3File Raised Bill No.

14672 protect agricultural crops, apiaries or livestock from excessive damage and that reasonable nonlethal efforts to protect such [crops,] apiaries or livestock have not been or are not likely to be successful in preventing further damage.

The provisions of this subsectionsubsectionshallnotbeconstruedtoauthorizethetakingofanyfederally shall not be construed to authorize the taking of any federally protected species.

2 from passage 26-80a(c) StatementENV ofJoint Purpose:Favorable Subst.

TosSB146 authorize/ theFile takingNo. of certain wildlife that injure or kill livestock or that caused crop damage in the preceding growing season.

LCO72 2 sSB146 File No.

83672 2The offollowing 3Fiscal RaisedImpact Statement and Bill No.Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

146In [Proposedgeneral, deletionsfiscal impacts are enclosedbased inupon brackets.a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

ProposedWhenever additionsapplicable, areagency indicateddata byis underline,consulted exceptas thatpart whenof the entireanalysis, texthowever offinal aproducts billdo ornot resolutionnecessarily orreflect aan sectionassessment offrom aany billspecific ordepartment. resolution is new, it is not underlined.] LCO No.

836OFA 3Fiscal ofNote 3State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $ Department of Energy and GF - Cost 32,500 32,500 Environmental Protection State Comptroller - Fringe GF - Cost 13,231 13,231 Benefits1 Resources of the General Fund GF - Revenue Minimal Minimal Gain Judicial Dept.

(Probation) GF - Potential Minimal Minimal Savings Resources of the General Fund GF - Potential Minimal Minimal Revenue Loss Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill expands and revises the use of deadly physical force to kill a bear.

The bill results in a cost to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) associated with monitoring crop damage, issuing additional permits, and disposing of wildlife.

DEEP will require a part-time Environmental Conservation Officer, with a salary of$32,500 andcorresponding fringe benefitsof$13,231 (for atotal of $45,721) annually, beginning in FY 27.

Also, there is a minimal revenue increase to the resources of the General Fund associated with issuing additional permits.

It is anticipated the revenue increase will be minimal.

The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts administered by the Comptroller.

The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost associated with most personnel changes is 41.82% of payroll in FY 27.

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72 3 sSB146 File No.

72 The bill also expands the circumstances in which a person may exert lethal force over wildlife resulting in a potential savings to the Judicial Department for probation and a potential revenue loss to the General Fund from fines.

On average, the marginal cost for supervision in the community is less than $600 each year for adults and $450 each year for juveniles.

The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation, number of permits, and actual violations.

From FY 20 - FY 25, 14 charges were recorded and $250 in associated revenue was collected under CGS § 26-80a.

3Probation marginal cost is based on services provided by private providers and only includes costs that increase with each additional participant.

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72 4 sSB146 File No.

72 OLR Bill Analysis sSB 146 AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF CROPS AND LIVESTOCK FROM CERTAIN WILDLIFE.

SUMMARY This bill allows a person to use deadly physical force to kill a bear if they reasonably believe the bear is injuring or killing their controlled livestock.

The law already allows people to kill bears when they reasonably believe the bear is (1) inflicting, or about to inflict, great bodily harm to a person;

(2) injuring or killing their controlled pet;