Bills / H.B. 326
H.B. 326 Animal Depredation Amendments
- Introduced
- House committee
- House vote
- Senate committee
- Senate vote (stopped here)
- Signed into law
What this bill does
The bill bans hunting feral swine in Utah, classifies them as nuisance predators, and adds stronger enforcement and penalties for them, including impounding vehicles used in feral swine hunting. It also creates permits and pilot licenses for aerial coyote hunting on private land or certain grazing allotments, makes permittees liable for resulting harm, and moves livestock predator control fee-setting to the Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Board.
Plain-English summary written by AI from the sponsor’s presentation in committee and on the floor. Check the official text below.
Official description
- defines and modifies terms
- provides that the Department of Agriculture and Food (department) may issue an aerial hunting permit and aerial hunting license for the taking of a coyote from an aircraft
- authorizes the Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Board (board) to make rules related to an aerial hunting permit and aerial hunting license
- establishes that an aerial hunting permittee or licensee assumes all liability for an accident, injury, or damage arising from the aerial hunting activity
- modifies how the department reviews the accounts of an organization that receives funds from the Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Account
- grants authority to the board to set an annual predator control fee on certain sheep, goats, cattle, and turkey
- modifies criminal penalties related to feral swine
- provides for the seizure and forfeiture of a vehicle used in the commission of a crime related to feral swine
- makes technical and conforming changes
What it costs you
- State spending from tax funds goes up by $2,000 in FY2027.
- The official fiscal note on residents and businesses:
Enactment of this legislation could cost businesses who are large egg producers or distributors $11,500 annually in aggregate for licensing fees.
From the bill's latest official fiscal note, counting the state's tax funds (General, Income Tax, Education, Uniform School, and Transportation) in the first full budget year after the session. Some bills take effect partway through that year, so later years can be larger; the note shows each year. Household count: U.S. Census Bureau. An average is a starting point, not your bill.
Your legislators on this bill
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Quotes come from the official recordings' automatic captions, which can mishear words. Speakers and summaries are identified by AI and can be wrong. Use the ▶ links to check the recording.
Take action
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Every vote
- 7 yes, 0 no, 7 absentHouse Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee: Amendment Recommendation · Feb 13, 2026Who voted how
- 7 yes, 0 no, 7 absentHouse Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 13, 2026Who voted how
- 71 yes, 0 no, 4 absentFinal House vote · Feb 23, 2026Who voted how
- 5 yes, 0 no, 2 absentSenate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 27, 2026Who voted how
Hearings and debates
- Feb 13, 2026 House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee▶ WatchRead the transcript (55 turns) →
- Feb 23, 2026 House floor debate▶ WatchRead the transcript (13 turns) →
- Feb 27, 2026 Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee▶ WatchRead the transcript (54 turns) →