2014 Senate and House Bills
HB 391. See summary under Rules.
This bill amends Sections 49-7-58.3, 49-7-58.4 and 49-11-3 by
delete the repealer on the authority of the Mississippi Commission
on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks to regulate the hunting of
nonnative cervids in noncommercial wildlife enclosures, to regulate
all commercial and noncommercial wild animal enclosures, and to
regulate hunting of nonnative cervids in commercial wildlife
enclosures.
HB 719. Effective 7/1/14. Signed 3/6/14.
This bill amends Section 49-7-41 to provide the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks the absolute authority to establish bag limits on white-tailed deer and promulgate any regulations necessary to facilitate the exercise of that authority. This new authority given to the commission to establish bag limits supersedes the previous bag limit established by the Legislature, which:
- Limits a licensed hunter to one antlered deer per day and three per license year, and provides the commission with regulatory authority with regard to the taking of antlered deer with four points or less for proper management of antlered deer.
- Permits the taking of any antlered deer by permit when necessary to manage deer on lands under the deer management assistance program or wildlife management areas. Requires antlered deer harvested with a permit to be identified with a tag immediately and exempts hunters who take an antlered deer by permit from the daily bag limit or the annual bag limit on antlered deer.
- Limits a licensed hunter to one antlerless deer per day and no more than five per license year, and taken only in the areas prescribed by order of the commission.
- Allows that hunters under 16 years of age to have one (1) of the three (3) buck bag limit of any antler count.
- Removes the exemptions granted to nonresident hunters with regard to the limitations on taking antlerless deer.
HB 720. Effective 7/1/14. Signed 3/10/14.
This bill amends Section 49-7-31.1 to require every hunter when
hunting during any firearm season on deer to wear must wear in full
view at least 500 square inches of solid unbroken fluorescent
orange, except when:
- Hunting from a deer stand that is elevated twelve (12) feet or more above the ground.
- Hunting in a fully enclosed blind.
HB 864. Effective 7/1/14. Due from Governor
4/24/14.
This bill amends Sections 49-7-31.5 and 49-7-140 as they relate to
the hunting, trapping or taking wild hogs. The bill permits the
wild hogs to be caught or trapped and transported within the state
with a permit issued by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife,
Fisheries, and Parks and prohibits the release or live removal of
wild hogs from any mobile device or vehicle, with the exception of
being released alive for the purpose of slaughter into an enclosure
no larger than 500 square feet in size and constructed in a manner
that prevents escape of any wild hog, or to a facility where the
hog may be immediately prepared for slaughter.
The commission is required promulgate rules and regulations for
the issuance of a hog transportation permit to requesting
individuals, who at the time of request does not have a history of
repeat hunting offenses, or has not had his or her hunting
privileges revoked.
The bill requires any person transporting a live wild hog within
the state to first obtain a live wild hog transportation permit for
each wild hog being transported from the department.
The bill imposes a Class II violation penalty for each animal in
violation, which carries a fine from $100.00 to $500.00, by
imprisonment in the county jail for 60 days to six months, or by
both the fine and imprisonment. In addition to the penalties
imposed, the violator shall forfeit all hunting, trapping and
fishing privileges for a period of one (1) year from the date of
conviction.
Additionally, Section 49-7-140 is further amended to prohibit
persons from transporting any live feral hog, wild swine or Russian
Boar on public roads or off of the property of record where
captured or relocating such within the state, except as permitted
by the department.
SB 2143. Effective 7/1/14. Signed
3/17/14.
Under current law the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
may fix the open season on fur-bearing animals between November 1
and March 1 next, and fix the open season for hunting opossums,
raccoons and bobcats with dogs and guns from October 1 to February
28 next. This bill authorizes the open season on fur-bearing
animals to be fixed between November 1 and March 15 next, and the
open season for hunting opossums, raccoons and bobcats with dogs
and guns from October 1 to March 15 next.
SB 2369. Effective 7/1/14. Signed
3/17/14.
Under current law, the state is divided into three zones for
squirrel season. The squirrel season starts on different dates in
each zone and ends on February 28, This bill does away with the
zones and establishes a single squirrel season for the entire state
that starts on October 1 and runs through February 28 next
following.
This bill also authorizes the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries,
and Parks to set a spring squirrel season that opens not earlier
than May 15 and runs not later than June 1, next following.
SB 2405. Effective 7/1/14. Signed
3/19/14.
This bill increases the penalty for hunting or engaging in target
practice on a levee structure by making the penalty for such
activity the same as the penalty for Class T violations of the game
and fish laws. The penalty for a Class I violation of the game laws
is a fine of not less than $2,000.00 nor more than $5,000.00 and
imprisonment in the county jail for 5 days. The person also
forfeits all hunting, trapping and fishing privileges for a period
of not less than 12 consecutive months from the date of conviction.
In addition, the person may, in the discretion of the court, be
fined $100,00 for each game animal or game bird.
SB 2425. Effective 7/1/14. Signed 4/2/14.
This bill exempts from sales taxation retail sales of firearms,
ammunition and hunting supplies if sold during the annual
Mississippi Second Amendment Weekend holiday beginning at 12;01
a,m. on the first Friday in September and ending at 12:00 midnight
the following Sunday. "Hunting supplies" means tangible personal
property used for hunting, including, and limited to, archery
equipment, firearm and archery cases, firearm and archery
accessories, hearing protection, holsters, belts and slings.
Hunting supplies does not include animals used for hunting.
