Outdoor Legislation

Defines who is eligible for a gratis tag for hunting moose, and allows applicants to apply annually regardless if already issued a license. 

Allows the use of a telescopic sight on a crossbow with a maximum power of 8x32. 

An operator of a personal watercraft is not required to have an observer on board while towing an individual on water skis, a kneeboard or an inflatable craft if the personal watercraft is equipped with a mirror on each side with an unobstructed field of vision to the rear; allows an individual who is at least 16 years old to windsurf or boardsail without wearing a personal flotation device; prohibits water skiing or surfboarding between one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. Includes emergency clause.

Would allow an individual to use a mechanized vehicle, spotlight, or artificial light of any size or battery capacity to pursue, shoot, kill, take, or attempt to take a coyote. Failed house.

Alters the public service commission's century code relating to mitigating environmental impacts associated with energy development. 

The director may issue special elk depredation management licenses to landowners in designated areas between highway fourteen on the western border, highway forty - three on the southern border, highway three on the eastern border, and the Canadian border on the northern border, upon payment of the fee requirement for a resident big game license. Failed house.

Allows the use of night vision, thermal vision or infrared light with a power source of not more than six volts while hunting coyote, fox, raccoon or beaver during the open season. The artificial light must produce a red, green or amber color. In addition, allows the use of night vision, thermal vision or infrared light on a predatory animal attacking and attempting to destroy poultry, livestock or other property. 

Would develop a system for hunting license lotteries which gives preference to applicants 70 years of age or older. Failed house.

Would require public notice of a wildlife survey in the official county newspaper, and on the website and social media accounts of the person/agency conducting the survey, at least 30 days prior to the start of the survey. 

Gives the director the option to establish a shooting sports grant program, which may be made available to schools, clubs and organized youth groups.

Legislative management, during the 2019-20 interim, would study the eligibility for gratis licenses authorizing residents to hunt elk or moose, and report findings to the 67th legislative assembly.

Would allow the use of air guns for hunting. 

Would establish a Missouri River council to provide for the acquisition and management of the shoreline of the Missouri River.

Relates to big game gratis license eligibility. 

Would require a mandatory waiting period of three days between the purchase and delivery of a firearm.

Changes the seven whitetail only deer licenses to four any whitetail and three any antlered deer licenses, that are provided to the outdoor adventure foundation to be used by youth with life-threatening illnesses. Qualifying youth are able to use any weapon that is legal in any season for that species when hunting on private land with written permission from the landowner.

Requires an individual who enters private property and installs a device for observing, recording or photographing wildlife to either receive written permission from the landowner, or identifies the device with a permanently affixed metal or plastic tag with a registration number issued by the Game and Fish Department, or the individual's name, address and telephone number. 

A concurrent resolution urging Congress and the President of the United States to protect the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. House adopted. Senate adopted.

Establishes an appropriation of $107,611,466 to the Game and Fish Department for the biennium beginning July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2025. Signed by governor.

Legislative management shall continue to study the electronic land access database and application during the 2021-22 interim, and expand it to all counties. Passed senate and house. Signed by governor.

Amends a section of century code relating to criminal trespass and electronic posting, including an individual would be guilty of a class A misdemeanor by entering an enclosed fence; and the name of a person would not have to appear on each sign on physically posted land. Failed senate.

Allows the option to designate the land as posted or closed to hunting in an online database or other electronic application. Failed senate.

Requires a political subdivision to notify the Game and Fish director, among others, before engaging in meetings with federal agencies to have any water body in the state designated a wild, scenic or recreational river under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Signed by governor.

Increases game and fish violations for a class 1 noncriminal offense from $50 to $100, and a class 2 noncriminal offense from $25 to $50. Failed senate.

Allows solid flourescent pink or a camouflage pattern of at least 50% flourescent orange or pink to be worn by big game hunters. Passed senate. Failed house.

Allows the option to designate the land as posted or closed to hunting in an online database or other electronic application, and provides a penalty for trespass. Passed senate. Passed house.

Applicants age 75 and older would be able to enter their name twice in the moose lottery. Passed senate. Failed house.

Would not prohibit the use of firearms between .22-caliber and .50-caliber when hunting big game on private land. Withdrawn from consideration.

Certified hunter education instructors would be issued a license to hunt any legal deer during the deer gun season. In addition, hunter ed instructors who have taught for the preceding five years would be issued one bighorn sheep, elk or moose license. Failed senate.

Allows the use of an artificial light with a power source of not more than six volts while hunting furbearer, ground squirrel, prairie dog, porcupine, rabbit or skunk, excluding the regular deer gun season. Passed senate. Failed house.

Nonprofit organzations eligible to receive special allocation big game hunting licenses would also include those eligible organizations exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(c)(19). Current law states those under section 501(c)(3) are eligible to receive no more than two elk, two moose, two pronghorn and 10 white-tailed deer licenses. Failed senate.

Certified game and fish volunteer instructors who have maintained active status in the state for 30 years are eligible to receive complimentary fishing and certain hunting licenses. Emergency clause. Signed by governor.

When an owner or lessor of land in the state, the state owes a duty of reasonable care to keep the premises safe for entry or use by others for recreational purposes, regardless of the location and nature of the recreational purposes and whether the entry or use by others is for recreational purposes or is directly derived from the recreational purposes of others, and warn of a dangerous condition, use, structure, or activity on the land to persons entering for recreational purposes. Withdrawn from consideration.

During the 2023-24 interim, legislative management shall consider studying the laws governing the Game and Fish Department and the possibility of implementing an appointed game and fish commission to supervise the department. Failed senate.

Provides clarity to the motorboat numbering exemptions section of the North Dakota Century Code. Signed by governor.

Appropriates $83,803,632 to the Game and Fish Department for the biennium beginning July 1, 2019, and ending June 30, 2021.

Defines the terms "firearm" or "weapon" and clarifies who can carry, including a minor under age 15 carrying a muzzleloader under direct supervision.

Grants provided by the Outdoor Heritage Fund would no longer give preference to those that enhanced conservation practices, and adds a requirement that ensures a geographical balance of members is maintained.

Allows Game and Fish to get approval from either the legislative assembly or budget section for each land acquisition of at least 10 acres or $10,000. Vetoed by governor. Senate passed over veto. House passed over veto. Filed by secretary of state.

Would have allowed a hunter of at least 65 years of age to use a crossbow during any bow hunting season. Failed senate.

Amends the North Dakota Century Code relating to the outdoor heritage fund, whereas grant applications that are eligible to be forwarded to the industrial commission must receive a favorable recommendation from a majority of the outdoor heritage advisory board members.

Allows advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants, in addition to a physician, to verify the physical condition necessary for individuals to qualify for a shoot from a stationary motor vehicle permit.

Would have allowed an individual to use an airbow during any deer gun season. Failed senate.

Amends the tax department's section of the century code relating to gross receipts, specifically that gross receipts does not include the amount of compensation received from an insurance company for the loss of a stolen or destroyed watercraft that had been previously taxed if that compensation is used as a trade-in credit on the purchase of a replacement watercraft. The trade-in credit is not included in the gross receipts of the retailer.

Would allow a live bait wholesaler or vendor to transport into the state and sell live white suckers to be used as bait in the Red River. 

Allows a nonresident to purchase a waterfowl license that is valid for three four-day periods for $200, and $50 of the fee must be used for the Private Land Open To Sportsmen program. Passed senate. Failed house.

Would require an individual to receive permission from the landowner to hunt, trap or pursue game on private land. Currently permission must be received if the land is posted. Failed senate.

An honorably discharged veteran who must obtain a certificate of completion for a hunter education course may obtain the certificate by completing four hours of online instruction on hunter safety approved by the director. Failed senate.