SF689 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Bear hunter preference points accumulation for youth authorization
Related bill: HF818
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
- To manage bear hunting in Minnesota by giving younger applicants a path to build hunting priority over time, and by allowing the state wildlife agency to limit bear hunting in a given area to prevent overharvest and improve how hunters are spread across areas.
Main Provisions
- The commissioner may limit how many people may hunt bears in a specific area if needed to prevent overharvest or to improve the distribution of hunters.
- If limits are used, the commissioner can use a drawing to impartially select the hunters for that area.
- Preference is given to hunters who previously applied but were not selected, helping those who were skipped before to have a better chance later.
- The bill allows awarding preference points to a person who is currently too young to hunt bears, so that by the time they reach hunting age, they have accumulated points that help them gain a preference.
- If a limit is used, one permit must be reserved and given first preference to a resident of a Minnesota veterans home.
- A person chosen through the drawing must purchase a bear hunting license by August 1.
- Any licenses that are not purchased by that deadline are opened up to other eligible people, on a first-come, first-served basis, starting three business days after August 1.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Creates a system to accumulate bear-hunting preference points for youth, so young people can gain hunting priority as they grow older.
- Allows the commissioner to cap the number of bear hunters in an area and to use a drawing to select those hunters.
- Adds a guaranteed first-preference permit for a Minnesota veterans home resident if a limit is in place.
- Changes license issuance timing and process: licenses tied to the drawing must be bought by a set date, with leftover licenses allocated on a first-come, first-served basis after a short delay.
Relevant Terms - bear hunting, commissioner, limit the number of hunters, overharvest, distribution of hunters, drawing, preference points, previously applied, not selected, youth, Minnesota veterans home, resident, permit, license, first-come, first-served, August 1, three business days after August 1, rulemaking, eligibility.
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 27, 2025 | Senate | Action | Introduction and first reading | ||
| January 27, 2025 | Senate | Action | Referred to | Environment, Climate, and Legacy | |
| March 24, 2025 | Senate | Action | Author stricken |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Allows youth to accumulate bear hunter preference points so that, when they reach the eligible age, they already have points.",
"Requires the commissioner to reserve one bear hunting permit and give first preference for that permit to a resident of a Minnesota veterans home."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 97B.405 to modify the bear hunting process, including allowing accumulation of bear hunter preference points for youth and adding a veteran's home preference in permit allocation; it also outlines license purchase timing and first-come-first-served issuance of remaining licenses.",
"modified": [
"Amends the process by which bear hunting permits are allocated, including a rule-based method with drawings and preference points."
]
},
"citation": "97B405",
"subdivision": ""
}
]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee