HSB 636

This bill relates to fur-bearing animals, including the establishment of a raccoon bounty program (program) and fund and the assessment of fur dealer license fees. The bill directs the department of natural resources (DNR) to establish and administer the program, which shall operate during the raccoon trapping season established by the natural resource commission (NRC) by rule. on the first Saturday in November through February of the succeeding year. The bill establishes a raccoon bounty fund in the state treasury under the control of DNR. The raccoon bounty fund shall consist of moneys deposited in the raccoon bounty fund, including moneys collected from the civil penalties assessed under the bill and gifts and donations received for the raccoon bounty fund. Moneys in the raccoon bounty fund are appropriated to DNR to pay participants in the program and to administer the program. The bill requires trappers to check set traps every hours. The bill authorizes a resident with a valid fur harvester license to relinquish to DNR the whole tail of a raccoon taken during the raccoon trapping season. A resident shall receive $5 from DNR for each whole raccoon tail the resident relinquishes to DNR at a monthly pickup event held in every county. DNR is appropriated cents for each raccoon tail relinquished at the monthly pickup event. The bill requires NRC to adopt rules for the program and determine the details for monthly pickup events for raccoon tails. The bill prohibits a person with a fur dealer license from participating in the program. _____ relinquished to the department, or was taken outside of the raccoon trapping season is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855. DNR shall assess penalties for violations, which may include license revocation, suspension of trapping privileges for up to two years, and a civil penalty of not more than $250 per offense. The department shall gather trapping data to ensure trappers are not excessively harvesting raccoons or committing fraud.130.8B. All unlawfully taken raccoons shall be seized by the director of DNR or any peace officer and relinquished to a representative of NRC. The bill includes a raccoon tail pickup event as a location for a fur dealer to conduct business. Under the bill, a fur dealer does not need to purchase a location permit to operate at a raccoon tail pickup event. Further, a resident or nonresident fur dealer does not have to pay a fee to obtain a location permit. The bill also creates a maximum fur dealer license fee of $50, regardless of resident status. Current law allows residents from another state to purchase a fur dealer’s license for a set fee unless that state has reciprocity with Iowa, in which case the nonresident shall pay the reciprocity fee amount that is less than the nonresident license fee but more than the Iowa resident license fee.