SB 522 — AN ACT AUTHORIZING BEAR HUNTING IN CONNECTICUT.

General Assembly   CommitteeSubstitute Bill No.

522 January Session, 2017   LCO*_____SB00522ENV___031317____* No.AN ACT AUTHORIZING BEAR HUNTING IN CONNECTICUT.

4095   *04095SB00522ENV* Referred to Committee on ENVIRONMENT   Introduced by:

  (ENV)   AN ACT AUTHORIZING BEAR HUNTING IN CONNECTICUT.

(a) (1) The commissioner shall establish by regulation adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 standards for deer and black bear management, and methods, regulated areas, bag limits, seasons and permit eligibility for hunting deer and black bear with bow and arrow, muzzleloader and shotgun, except that no such hunting shall be permitted on Sunday by any means other than with bow and arrow on private property pursuant to section 26-73, as amended by this act.

(2) The regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for the hunting of black bear shall:

(A) Permit the taking of black bear during the first year of such hunting at a rate that does not exceed five per cent of the total black bear population in the state as of the effective date of this section, (B) provide for such taking of black bear in rural areas of the state in order to offset the relocation of black bear from densely populated areas of the state where documented interaction between humans and black bears presents identified public safety risks due to the frequency of black bear and human interaction, and (C) require the submission of a report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment one year after the beginning of such black bear hunting that includes information on the number of black bear taken pursuant to such hunting, the number of licenses issued by the department to hunt such black bear and any recommendations of the commissioner for any modifications to such black bear hunting in the state.

5 October 1, 2017 26-73 StatementENV ofJoint Purpose:Favorable Subst.

To authorize bear hunting in Connecticut.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets.

Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.] Co-Sponsors:

SEN.

MINER, 30th Dist.

S.B.

522