HB313 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Brett EasterbrookRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Dept of Conservation & Natural Resources, deer hunting with dogs further provided for, report of violations made by the commissioner

Summary

HB313 would regulate deer hunting with dogs in certain Alabama counties, establishing seasons, dog equipment rules, penalties, and a reporting framework while updating board governance.

What This Bill Does

It would allow hunting deer with dogs in counties that previously prohibited it, with minimum seasons of 21 days (2025-26), 30 days (2026-27), and at least 45 days (2027-28 onward). It requires every hunting dog to wear a collar displaying the owner’s name and phone number, with a $1,000 fine for tampering or removal, and mandates an electronic tracking and correction collar on each dog while it is on the ground, with escalating penalties for violations. It also requires landowners to give written consent before dogs can enter private property, with fines of $100 for the first violation, $250 for the second, and $500 for the third or subsequent violations in the same season. Additionally, it directs game wardens to investigate cruelty to animals in hunting incidents involving dogs and to provide semiannual reports on citations and warnings to the Legislature, advisory board, and public, while requiring the department to adopt implementation rules.

Who It Affects

• Hunters who use dogs to hunt deer, who must comply with collar, tracking, season, and landowner consent requirements.
• Private landowners and landowners' representatives, who must grant written consent for dogs to enter their property.
• Dog owners, who are responsible for their dogs' collars and tracking devices and who face fines for violations.
• Game wardens and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, who enforce the new rules and investigate cruelty to animals.
• The public and legislators, who will receive semiannual reports detailing citations and warnings.

Key Provisions

• All hunting dogs must wear a collar or tag displaying the owner’s name and phone number; removing or tampering with collars or remote tracking devices is prohibited and carries a $1,000 fine.
• Section 2 requires game wardens to investigate any reported killing or injuring of a dog during hunting to determine if cruelty to animals has occurred.
• Section 3 allows dog hunting in counties where it was previously prohibited, with minimum seasons of 21 days (2025-26), 30 days (2026-27), and 45+ days (2027-28 onward).
• Section 4 prohibits hunting dogs from entering or pursuing on private property without landowner consent, with fines: $100 first violation, $250 second, $500 third or subsequent within the same season.
• Section 5 requires an electronic tracking and correction collar for each hunting dog when on the ground; violations incur a warning first, then $250, then $500 fines in the same season.
• Section 6 changes the Advisory Board of Conservation and Natural Resources’ composition and duties, requires semiannual meetings, and mandates reporting of citations/warnings to the Legislature and the public; the department must adopt rules to implement the section.
• Section 8 sets the act’s effective date as October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Conservation & Natural Resources