Official Summary Text
HB2497 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
NR���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2497
right to hunt;
fish; harvest
Purpose
Declares that
the citizens of Arizona have the right to lawfully hunt, fish and harvest
wildlife and prohibits the Arizona Game and Fish Commission (Commission) from enacting
or adopting any rule or policy that unreasonably restricts hunting, fishing and
harvesting wildlife or the use of traditional means and methods.
Background
Wildlife, both
resident and migratory, native or introduced, found in Arizona, except fish and
bullfrogs impounded in private ponds or tanks or wildlife and birds reared or
held in captivity under permit or license from the Commission, are the property
of Arizona and may be taken at such times, in such places, in such manner and
with such devices as provided by law or rule of the Commission (
A.R.S.
� 17-102
).
The Commission
must: 1) adopt rules and establish services it deems necessary to carry out the
provisions and purposes of the regulations relating to game and fish; 2)
establish broad policies and long-range programs for the management,
preservation and harvest of wildlife;
3) establish hunting, trapping and fishing rules and prescribe the manner and
methods that may be used in taking wildlife; 4) be responsible for the
enforcement of laws for the protection of wildlife; 5) prescribe by rule,
license classifications that are valid for taking or handling of wildlife, fees
for licenses, permits, tags, stamps and application fees; and 6) perform other
statutorily prescribed duties (A.R.S. ��
17-231
and
17-301
).
There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Declares that the citizens of Arizona have the right to lawfully hunt,
fish and harvest wildlife.
2.
Deems that wildlife is the property of Arizona and is held in trust for
the benefit of the citizens of Arizona.
3.
Declares that the Legislature has exclusive authority to regulate the
manner, methods and seasons for hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife.
4.
Allows the Legislature to delegate the rulemaking authority to the
Commission.
5.
Prohibits the Commission from enacting or adopting any rule or policy
that unreasonably restricts hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife or the use
of traditional means and methods.
6.
Declares that it is the policy of Arizona that public hunting and
fishing are the preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife.
7.
Specifies that the outlined declarations relating to the right to hunt,
fish and harvest wildlife do not modify any provision of common law or any law
of Arizona relating to trespass or property rights.
8.
Designates this legislation as the
Arizona Right to Hunt Act
.
9.
Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
LARA ������� 2/9/26
������� DPA ����� 5-3-0-0
3
rd
Read����� 2/25/26 �������������������� 31-22-7
Prepared by
Senate Research
March 20, 2026
SB/hk
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HB2497 - 572R - H Ver
House Engrossed
right to hunt; fish;
harvest
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HOUSE BILL 2497
AN
ACT
Amending title 17, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona
Revised Statutes, by adding section 17-106; RELATING to wildlife.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section
1.
1. Title
17, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
section 17-106, to read:
START_STATUTE
17-106.
Right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife; public policy
A. The citizens of this state have a
right to lawfully hunt, fish and harvest wildlife.
B. As prescribed in section 17-102,
wildlife is the property of this state and is held in trust for the benefit of
the citizens of this state.
C. The legislature has exclusive
authority to regulate the manner, methods and seasons for hunting, fishing and
harvesting wildlife. The legislature may delegate the rulemaking authority to
the commission as provided in this title.
D. the commission
may not enact or adopt any rule or policy that unreasonably restricts
hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife or the use of traditional means and
methods.
E. It is the policy of this state
that public hunting and fishing are the preferred means of managing and
controlling wildlife.
F. This section does not modify any
provision of common law or any law of this state relating to trespass or
property rights.
END_STATUTE
Sec.
2.
2.
Short
title
This act may be cited as the
"Arizona Right to Hunt Act".