wildlife; unlawful taking; civil penalty

SB1759 - wildlife; unlawful taking; civil penalty

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Priya Sundareshan
Last action: 2026-02-09
Official status: Senate second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact amounts for fines beyond initial minimums are not detailed in the bill text.

Wildlife Protection: Civil Penalties for Unlawful Taking

This bill updates penalties for people who illegally take, wound, kill or possess certain wildlife in Arizona by setting specific fines and allowing the commission to bring legal action against violators.

What This Bill Does

Sets minimum civil penalties for unlawfully taking, wounding, killing or possessing specific types of wildlife without permission.
Increases the fine amount for repeat offenders up to triple the initial amount.
Allows the commission to bring a civil action in the name of the state to enforce these penalties and join this with actions related to possession and recovery of wildlife.
Deposits recovered money into the wildlife theft prevention fund.

Who It Names or Affects

People who take, wound, kill or possess certain types of wildlife illegally in Arizona.

Terms To Know

Civil Penalty: A fine imposed by a government agency for breaking rules.
Commission: The group responsible for enforcing wildlife laws and setting penalties.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify the exact amount of fines beyond doubling or tripling initial amounts.
Does not detail how recovered funds will be used in the wildlife theft prevention fund.

Bill History

2026-02-09 Senate
Senate second read
2026-02-05 Senate
Senate Rules: None
2026-02-05 Senate
Senate Natural Resources: None
2026-02-05 Senate
Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1759 - wildlife; unlawful taking; civil penalty

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB1759 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
wildlife; unlawful taking; civil
penalty

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1759

Introduced by

Senator
Sundareshan

AN
ACT

Amending section 17-314, Arizona
Revised Statutes; RELATING to the taking and HANDLING of wildlife.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 17-314, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
17-314
.
Illegally taking, wounding, killing or possessing wildlife; civil
penalty; rules; enforcement

A. The commission may impose a civil penalty against
any person for unlawfully taking, wounding, killing or possessing any of the
following wildlife, or part thereof, to recover the following minimum sums:

1. For each turkey or javelina������������������������ $ 500.00

2. For each bear, mountain lion, pronghorn
(antelope)

or deer�������������������������������������������� $1,500.00

3. For each elk or eagle, other than

endangered species��������������������������������� $2,500.00

4. For each predatory, fur-bearing or nongame animal�� $ 250.00

5. For each small game or aquatic wildlife animal����� $ 50.00

6. For each bighorn sheep, bison (buffalo)
,

endangered species animal
or formally

ENDANGERED SPECIES
animal as determined

by the commission
��������������������������������� $8,000.00

B.
The
commission may bring a civil action in the name of this state to enforce the
civil penalty. The civil penalty, or a
verdict or judgment
to
enforce the civil penalty,
shall
not
be less than the sum fixed in this
section.
The minimum sum that the commission may
recover from a person pursuant to this section may be
doubled for
a second violation, verdict or judgment and tripled for a third violation,
verdict or judgment
increased by the commission by rule
to exceed the market value of the wildlife. the commission may adopt rules to
increase the civil penalty for repeat offenders.
The action
to
enforce the civil penalty
may be joined with an action for possession and
recovery had for the possession as well as the
civil penalty
.

C. The pendency or determination of an action to
enforce the civil penalty or for payment of the civil penalty or a judgment, or
the pendency or determination of a criminal prosecution for the same taking,
wounding, killing or possession, is not a bar to the other, nor does either
affect the right of seizure under any other provision of the laws relating to
game and fish.

D. All monies recovered pursuant to this section
shall be deposited in the wildlife theft prevention fund established by section
17-315.
END_STATUTE