ut-20261015-R657-57: R657-57. Division Variance Rule

1. Agency Information

Title catchline: Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Building: DNR Complex Street address: 1594 W North Temple City, state: Salt Lake City, UT 84416 Mailing address: PO Box 146301 City, state and zip: Salt Lake City, UT 84414-6301

2. Contact Persons

Name: Phone: Email: Staci Coons 801-450-3093 stacicoons@utah.gov Please address questions regarding information on this notice to the persons listed above.

B. Purpose of the new rule or reason for the change:

This rule is being amended pursuant to Regional Advisory Council and Wildlife Board meetings conducted annually for taking public input and reviewing the Division of Wildlife Resources' (DWR) rules pursuant to addressing division variances.

C. Summary of the new rule or change:

The amendments to this rule update verification requirements in alignment with HB 111, passed in the 2026 General Session, allowing statements to be signed by a licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. 4. Legislative Action Information

B. If yes, any bill number and HB 111 (2026 General Session)

session: 5. Fiscal Information Provide an estimate and written explanation of the aggregate anticipated cost or savings to:

A. State budget:

The amendments to Rule R657-57 are administrative in nature, the DWR has determined that these changes can be initiated within the current workload and resources of the DWR, therefore, the DWR does not believe that these amendments would create a cost or savings impact to the state budget or the DWR's budget since the changes will not increase workload and can be carried out with existing budget. UTAH STATE BULLETIN, October 15, 2026, Vol. 2026, No. 20 147 NOTICES OF PROPOSED RULES

B. Local governments:

Local governments are not directly or indirectly impacted by these proposed amendments because this rule does not create a situation requiring services from local governments.

C. Small businesses ("small business" means a business employing 1-49 persons):

The proposed rule amendments will not directly impact small businesses because a service is not required of them.

D. Non-small businesses ("non-small business" means a business employing 50 or more persons):

The proposed rule amendments will not directly impact non-small businesses because a service is not required of them. E. Persons other than small businesses, non-small businesses, state, or local government entities ("person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or public or private organization of any character other than an agency): The proposed rule amendments do not have the potential to impact other persons that possess or release pen-reared birds in Utah, nor is a service required of them.

F. Compliance costs for affected persons:

DWR has determined that this amendment may not create additional costs for those qualifying individuals wishing to receive a variance from the DWR. 6. Regulatory Impact Summary Table Enter the cost or savings in the relevant cell. If there is no cost or savings, enter, "$0." If a cost or savings is inestimable, enter, "inestimable." Fiscal Cost FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030 FY2031 State Budget $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Local Governments $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Small Businesses $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Non-Small Businesses $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Other Persons $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Total Fiscal Cost $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Fiscal Benefits FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030 FY2031 State Budget $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Local Governments $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Small Businesses $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Non-Small Businesses $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Other Persons $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Total Fiscal Benefits $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Net Fiscal Benefits $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 7. Regulatory Impact Analysis Approval After conducting a thorough analysis, it was determined that this proposed rule amendment will not result in a measurable fiscal impact to businesses. The Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, Jamie Barnes, has reviewed and approved this fiscal analysis. 8. Family Impact Information

A. The agency has considered this rule's impact on family health, stability, and fo☒mation:

148 UTAH STATE BULLETIN, October 15, 2026, Vol. 2026, No. 20 NOTICES OF PROPOSED RULES 9. Citation Information Provide citations to the statutory authority for the rule. If there is also a federal requirement for the rule, provide a citation to that requirement: Section 23A-2-304 Section 23A-2-305 11. Public Notice Information The public may submit written or oral comments to the agency identified in box 1.

A. Comments will be accepted until: 11/16/2026

12. Effective Date Information This rule change MAY become effective on: 11/23/2026 (NOTE: This is the date the agency anticipates making the filing effective. It is NOT the effective date) 13. Agency Authorization Information Agency head or Riley Peck, Director Date: 09/22/2026 designee and title: R657. Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources. R657-57. Division Variance Rule. R657-57-1. Purpose andAuthority. Under authority of Sections 23A-2-304 and 23A-2-305 this rule is established to provide authority, standards and procedures for grantingremedial relief to persons precluded from obtaining or using a wildlife document because of an event or condition beyond theircontrol. R657-57-2. Definitions. (1) The terms used in this rule are defined in Section 23A-1-101. (2) In addition: (a) "CWMU" means cooperative wildlife management unit, as defined in Section 23A-7-102; (b) "Event or condition" means a circumstance in a person's life beyond their control that precludes or substantially limits their ability to obtain or use a wildlife document; (c) "Harvesting" means, for purposes of this rule, killing an animal; (d) "Hunt day" means spending any time in the field hunting the permitted animal species in a single day, during lawful hunting hours, and within the prescribed season; (e) "Immediate family member" means a person's spouse, child, stepchild, grandchild, brother, sister, parent, stepparent, grandparent, mother-in-law, or father-in-law; (f)(i) "Limited entry hunt" means any hunt identified in the proclamations and guidebooks of the Wildlife Board as: (A) a premium limited entry or limited entry hunt; and (B) that awards a bonus point to unsuccessful permit applicants pursuant to Section R657-62-8. (ii) "Limited entry hunt" further includes antlerless moose hunts and CWMU hunts available to the public through a Division administered drawing. (g) "Once-in-a-lifetime hunt" means any hunt for which a wildlife document is issued to take a bull moose, bighorn sheep, bison, or mountain goat. (h) "Physician" means a licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. (i) "Substantially precluded" means participating in no more than one hunt day during the prescribed hunting season because of a qualifying event or condition set forth in Section R657-57-6. ([i]j) "Variance" means remedial relief granted by the Division or Wildlife Board to restore a person's opportunity to obtain or use a wildlife document which is completely lost or substantially impaired because of an intervening event or condition; and ([j]k) "Wildlife document" means any license, permit, tag, certificate of registration, or wildlife permit voucher issued by the Division. KEY: wildlife, permits Date of Last Change: 2026[October 22, 2025] Notice of Continuation: July 5, 2023 Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 23A-2-304; 23A-2-305 UTAH STATE BULLETIN, October 15, 2026, Vol. 2026, No. 20 149 NOTICES OF PROPOSED RULES NOTICE OF SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE TYPE OF FILING: Amendment Filing ID: 58286