HB152 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

April WeaverSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2018

Title

Conservation and Natural Resources, game breeder's licenses, issuance, further provided for, penalties, criminal penalties applicable only for intentional violations, Secs. 9-11-30, 9-11-31.1 am'd.

Summary

HB 152 updates Alabama's game breeder licensing by clarifying covered animals, limiting penalties to intentional violations, and revising license issuance and fees, with notes on local-funding rules and when it takes effect.

What This Bill Does

It defines which animals require a game breeder license, requires a thorough eligibility check before issuing a license, and sets license expiration and renewal rules. It establishes a tiered license-fee structure (general $250; Cervidae fees scaled by number of animals). It narrows penalties to intentional violations, outlining fines and license-privilege revocation, with harsher penalties for repeat offenses. It also addresses how the bill interacts with local-fund expenditure rules and states when the act becomes law.

Who It Affects

• Prospective and current game breeders and license applicants, who would undergo investigations, pay annual license fees (including Cervidae-specific tiers), and operate under licensing rules.
• Individuals and entities that violate game breeder licensing requirements (e.g., willfully failing to obtain a license or falsifying records), along with their principal officers, who would face defined criminal penalties and possible license revocation or disqualification.

Key Provisions

• Defines protected game animals and game birds to include whitetail deer, elk, fallow deer, and nonindigenous animals brought into Alabama before May 1, 2006, plus their offspring.
• Authorizes the Conservation Commissioner to issue an annual game breeder's license to accredited individuals or groups to breed and propagate protected game birds and animals (with pre-licensing investigations and renewal rules; certain entities barred if convicted of certain offenses after May 1, 2006).
• Implements a license-fee schedule: $250 general fee for all species except Cervidae; Cervidae licenses start at $250 for up to 50 animals, $500 for 51–100, and $1,000 for more than 100, with fees based on animals on hand as of April 1 each year.
• Penalties for intentional violations (e.g., failing to obtain a license or falsifying records) include misdemeanor charges, fines $500–$2,000 per offense, potential license revocation up to two years, and escalating penalties for subsequent offenses (higher fines and possible permanent revocation and ineligibility for future licensing).
• The bill interacts with Amendment 621 on local-funding requirements but is treated as not needing local-entity approval due to exceptions, since it defines a new or amended crime; it also sets an effective date.
• Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Game Breeders