A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled “Natural resources and environmental protection act,” by amending sections 43520, 43522, 43523a, 43523b, 43524, 43525b, 43525c, 43527a, 43528, 43528a, 43528b, 43529, 43531, 43532, 43532a, 43533, 43535, 43540a, 43540c, 43546, and 43553 (MCL 324.43520, 324.43522, 324.43523a, 324.43523b, 324.43524, 324.43525b, 324.43525c, 324.43527a, 324.43528, 324.43528a, 324.43528b, 324.43529, 324.43531, 324.43532, 324.43532a, 324.43533, 324.43535, 324.43540a, 324.43540c, 324.43546, and 324.43553), section 43520 as amended by 2024 PA 96, section 43522 as amended by 1996 PA 585, section 43523a as amended by 2018 PA 3, sections 43523b and 43527a as added and sections 43524, 43528, 43528a, 43528b, 43529, 43531, 43535, and 43553 as amended by 2013 PA 108, section 43525b as amended by 2016 PA 462, section 43525c as amended by 2021 PA 6, section 43532 as amended by 2020 PA 271, section 43532a as amended by 2020 PA 270, section 43533 as amended by 2016 PA 463, section 43540a as amended by 2018 PA 237, section 43540c as added by 2005 PA 117, and section 43546 as amended by 2004 PA 587, and by adding section 503d.
Senate Bills 276 and 277 amends the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to adjust hunting and fishing license fees, create new funds for shooting range operations and wildlife conservation, and establish the Hunters Feeding Michigan program.
Introduced
by
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations
Reported with substitute S-3
Referred to the Committee of the Whole
1. Amend page 3, following line 2, by inserting:
“Sec. 40111a. (1) The commission, after consultation with the commission of agriculture and rural development, shall issue in the manner provided in section 40113a an order concerning deer and elk feeding in this state.
(2) Any order issued by the commission banning deer and elk baiting in this state in effect on October 1, 2025 is no longer in effect beginning April 1, 2026.
(3) (2) As used in this section, “deer and elk feeding” means the depositing, distributing, or tending of feed in an area frequented by wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer and elk to prevent them from starving or for recreational viewing. Deer and elk feeding does not include any of the following:
(a) Baiting to take game as provided by an order of the commission under section 40113a.
(b) The scattering of feed solely as the result of normal logging practices or normal agricultural practices.
(c) The storage or use of feed for agricultural purposes if 1 or more of the following apply:
(i) The area is occupied by livestock actively consuming the feed on a daily basis.
(ii) The feed is covered to deter wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer and elk from gaining access to the feed or is being used on a daily basis.
(iii) The feed is in a storage facility or is stored in a manner that is consistent with normal agricultural practices.
(d) Feeding wild birds or other wildlife if done in such a manner as to exclude wild, free-ranging white-
tailed deer and elk from gaining access to the feed.”.
2. Amend page 8, line 25, after “following” by inserting “in accordance with current regulations”.
3. Amend page 9, line 1, after “license” by inserting a comma and “where authorized by the department,”.
4. Amend page 9, line 3, after “following” by inserting “in accordance with current regulations”.
5. Amend page 9, following line 6, by inserting:
“(3) The department may issue orders under part 401 designating the kind of deer that may be
taken and the geographic area in which any license issued under this section is valid, when advisable
in managing deer.” and renumbering the remaining subsections.
6. Amend page 9, line 29, after “subsection” by striking out “(3)” and inserting “(4)”.
7. Amend page 10, line 9, after “subsection” by striking out “(4)” and inserting “(5)”.
Substitute S-3 concurred in by voice vote
