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SF2247 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Northeast Deer Management Task Force establishment requirement provision

AI Generated Summary

This bill proposes two key changes related to wildlife management in Minnesota:

  1. Wolf Hunting Season Regulations:

    • The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to require the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) commissioner to establish an annual wolf hunting season only if the wolf is delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act.
    • If an open season is permitted, the commissioner must provide an opportunity for public comment.
    • The season and related regulations must align with the state's wolf management plan.
    • The commissioner must also consult with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to review data on wolf depredation and human conflicts before setting hunting restrictions.

  2. Northeast Deer Management Task Force:

    • The bill mandates that, by October 1, 2025, the DNR commissioner establish a Northeast Deer Management Task Force.
    • The task force's goal is to recommend policy and law changes to increase deer populations in northeastern Minnesota.
    • Membership must include local hunters, wildlife managers, Tribal members, a representative from the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, and other interested parties.
    • The task force must collaborate with the commissioner, meet at least three times per year, and submit a final report with recommendations by August 1, 2027.
    • The task force will expire either upon submission of the report or on August 1, 2027, whichever comes first.

This bill focuses on balancing wildlife conservation and management by addressing both wolf population control and deer population concerns.

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 05, 2025HouseFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
March 05, 2025SenateFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
March 05, 2025HouseFloorActionReferred toEnvironment, Climate, and Legacy
March 05, 2025SenateFloorActionReferred toEnvironment, Climate, and Legacy

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill amends the open season regulations for wolves in Minnesota under section 97B.645 subdivision 9.",
      "modified": [
        "Requires the commissioner to prescribe an annual open season for wolves unless they are listed under the Endangered Species Act.",
        "Adjustments to the requirements for public comment and integration with the wolf management plan under section 97B.646."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "97B.645",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 9"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This section references the administration rules for compensation and removal of members in regard to the Northeast Deer Management Task Force.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "15.059",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]

Sponsors