PRINTER'S NO. 1380
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
1088
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY ROTHMAN, VOGEL, DUSH, LAUGHLIN, J. WARD AND
CULVER, FEBRUARY 21, 2024
REFERRED TO GAME AND FISHERIES, FEBRUARY 21, 2024
AN ACT
Amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in special licenses and permits, providing for
agriculture access permit list.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 34 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 2931. Agriculture access permit list.
(a) Permit list.--The commission shall create the
agriculture access permit list to connect licensed hunters with
private agricultural landowners for the purpose of crop damage
mediation.
(b) Applications.--An individual may submit an application
for placement on the list and a permit under this section in a
form and manner determined by the commission. The commission
shall provide an applicant with the option of applying for
placement on the list and a permit under this section when the
applicant is purchasing the applicant's hunting license. The
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following shall apply:
(1) By selecting the option specified under this
subsection, the applicant shall give the commission the right
to share the information authorized under subsection (d) upon
approval of the application.
(2) The applicant may reapply for placement on the list
and a permit under this section based on the criteria under
subsection (c).
(c) Criteria.--In order to be eligible for placement on the
list and a permit under this section, an applicant shall meet
all of the following criteria at the time of submission of the
application under subsection (b):
(1) Has not committed an offense under this title in the
prior seven years.
(2) Be 18 years of age or older.
(3) Furnish proof of a valid hunting license and tags
for the game or wildlife that the applicant will be hunting
on the eligible hunting grounds.
(d) Retention of records.--The commission shall retain all
of the following:
(1) The name of each applicant and corresponding records
containing each applicant's name, telephone number and
municipality.
(2) Each application approved under subsection (e).
(3) Each application disapproved under subsection (e)
and reasons for the disapproval. Notwithstanding the act of
February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know
Law, or any other provision of law, the commission may not
publicly disclose the reasons for the disapproval of an
application.
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(e) Notice.--The commission shall, via telephone, first
class mail or email, notify an applicant who has been approved
or disapproved for placement on the list and a permit under this
section.
(f) Duration.--The commission shall issue a permit under
this section in accordance with the duration of the license
period under section 2707 (relating to license periods). Upon
the expiration of the license period, the commission shall
remove each permittee from the list.
(g) Landowners.--A private agricultural landowner may
request the list from the commission, including each permittee's
name, telephone number, municipality and county preference.
(h) Guidelines.--A permittee shall adhere to guidelines
specified by a private agricultural landowner when conducting
hunting activities on the landowner's property if the guidelines
are in accordance with the commission's regulations, including
all of the following:
(1) Specific days access is allowed to the property.
(2) Specific game species or sex of game species that
are available for harvest.
(i) Boundaries.--The boundaries of the premises covered by a
permit under this section as eligible hunting grounds shall be
grounds which are owned by a private agricultural landowner who
entered into an agreement with a permittee to conduct hunting
activities on the landowner's land.
(j) Termination of access.--A private agricultural landowner
may terminate an agreement specified under subsection (i) for
any reason at any time if the landlord provides 24 hours' notice
of the termination to a permittee. Upon the private agricultural
landowner providing notice under this subsection, the permittee
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shall cease hunting activities on the landowner's land.
(k) Removal from list.--A permittee shall relinquish the
permittee's placement on the list and permit under this section
if the permittee:
(1) commits an offense under this title;
(2) fails to comply with guidelines under subsection
(h); or
(3) submits a request to the commission to be removed
from the list.
(l) Limitations.--The commission shall limit the list for
the purposes specified under this section, including connecting
licensed hunters with private agricultural landowners. The
commission may not share the list in a manner not specified
under this section.
(m) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Applicant." An individual who submits an application under
subsection (b) for placement on the list and a permit under this
section.
"Eligible hunting grounds." Hunting grounds that are located
on any of the following:
(1) Privately owned land.
(2) Land and water combined where the ground is wholly,
or in part, regularly and continuously engaged in cultivating
the soil for general farm crop purposes, commercial truck
growing, commercial orchards or commercial nurseries.
"List." The agriculture access permit list created under
subsection (a).
"Permittee." An individual who has been placed on the list
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and holds a permit under this section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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