| Chapter 239 |
| 2024 -- H 7294 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/24/2024 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- HUNTING AND HUNTING SAFETY -- CAPTIVE HUNTING PROHIBITED |
Introduced By: Representatives Slater, Diaz, Bennett, and O'Brien |
| Date Introduced: January 26, 2024 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Chapter 20-13 of the General Laws entitled "Hunting and Hunting Safety" is |
| hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
| 20-13-18. Captive hunting prohibited. |
| (a) As used in this section, the term "captive hunting" means a hunt that occurs within a |
| structure designed to restrict the free movement of animals created by the use of fences, man-made |
| structures, and/or natural barriers, including, but not limited to, private lands set up as hunting or |
| shooting preserves or game ranches, wherein the animal is restricted from escaping or fleeing from |
| the confined area during the hunt. |
| (b) No species of animal whether domestic or wild, whether exotic to the state or naturally |
| occurring in the state, may be imported into the state or released on any property within the state |
| for purposes of conducting captive hunting. |
| (c) No native or domestic species of the state shall be intentionally or unintentionally |
| captured or restricted of free movement by the use of fences, man-made structures, and/or natural |
| barriers for the purpose of conducting captive hunting. |
| (d) The term captive hunting shall not apply to the release of domestic game birds for |
| hunting, whether on public property or on private property properly licensed by the department of |
| environmental management ("department") as a shooting preserve, or to field trials conducted in |
| accordance with the provisions of this title and properly licensed by the department. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC004555/SUB A |
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