SB 1523 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE TAKING OF WILDLIFE THAT DAMAGE CROPS OR BLACK BEAR THAT INJURE OR KILL LIVESTOCK.

Senate General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

1523712 January Session, 2025 LCOSubstitute Senate Bill No.

59301523 ReferredSenate, toApril 16, 2025 The Committee on ENVIRONMENTEnvironment Introducedreported by:through SEN.

(ENV)LOPES ANof ACTthe CONCERNING6th BEARDist., HUNTING.Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE TAKING OF WILDLIFE THAT DAMAGE CROPS OR BLACK BEAR THAT INJURE OR KILL LIVESTOCK.

(NEW)Subsection (Effective(e) fromof passage)section The26-47 Department of Energy and Environmental Protection shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisionsgeneral ofstatutes chapteris 54repealed ofand the generalfollowing statutes,is tosubstituted establishin alieu blackthereof bear(Effective huntingfrom season.passage):

Such(e) regulationsNotwithstanding maythe prescribeprovisions theof methodsubsection (a) of take,this section, the durationCommissioner of anyEnergy suchand season,Environmental bagProtection limits,may theissue feepermits for anythe suchtaking permitof andwildlife that threatens, [or] causes damage to agricultural crops, livestock or apiaries [,] or that caused damage to crops during the landspreceding upongrowing whichseason, anyas suchverified huntingby maythe occur.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 sSB1523 / File No.

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712 necessary to 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.

Any such permit issued pursuant to this subsection shall specify the means, methods and times for which such take is allowed and shall only be issued by the commissioner to the:

(A) Owner of the subject property on which such excessive damage occurred, (B) agent of such owner, or (C) lessee of such subject property, provided such lessee has the written permission of such owner to take wildlife.

No application for a permit pursuant to this section shall require notarization.

Any wildlife taken pursuant to this section shall be disposed of as directed by the department.

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

Sec.

2.

Subsection (c) of section 26-80a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent any person from using deadly physical force to kill a bear if such person reasonably believes that a bear is:

(1) Inflicting or is about to inflict great bodily harm to a human, (2) injuring or killing such person's pet or livestock that is otherwise controlled in accordance with any applicable provision of the general statutes or any regulation adopted pursuant to such a provision, or (3) entering a building occupied by persons.

from passage Section 1 Newfrom sectionpassage Statement26-47(e) ofSec. Purpose:

To2 authorizefrom thepassage Department26-80a(c) ofENV EnergyJoint andFavorable EnvironmentalSubst. Protection to establish a bear hunting season.

LCOsSB1523 / File No.

5930712 1 of 2 RaisedsSB1523 BillFile No.

1523712 [ProposedThe deletionsfollowing Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are enclosedprepared infor brackets.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.

ProposedIn additionsgeneral, arefiscal indicatedimpacts byare underline,based exceptupon that when the entire text of a billvariety or resolution or a section of ainformational billsources, orincluding resolutionthe isanalyst’s new,professional itknowledge. is not underlined.] LCO No.

5930Whenever 2applicable, agency data is consulted as part of 2the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 26 $ FY 27 $ 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 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 would 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 26.

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 would be minimal.

Section 2 expands the circumstances in which a person may exert lethal force over wildlife resulting in a potential savings to the Judicial 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 40.71% of payroll in FY 26.

sSB1523 / File No.

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