SB2435 • 2026

Black bear harvest permits; require issuance of 20 for the 2026-2027 hunting season with 10% annual increase thereafter.

AN ACT TO CREATE A NEW SECTION WITHIN CHAPTER 7, TITLE 49, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI COMMISSION ON WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS (COMMISSION) SHALL CONTROL, REGULATE AND MANAGE THE TAKING OF ALL BLACK BEARS; TO IMPOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTS AND NONRESIDENTS TO HUNT OR KILL ANY BLACK BEAR FOR ANY PURPOSE; TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION, BEGINNING WITH THE 2026-2027 HUNTING SEASON, TO ESTABLISH A BLACK BEAR HARVEST PERMIT TO HUNT OR KILL BLACK BEARS AND TO ESTABLISH THE FEE FOR SUCH PERMIT; TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO ISSUE A TOTAL OF 20 BLACK BEAR HARVEST PERMITS FOR THE 2026-2027 HUNTING SEASON AND TO INCREASE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BLACK BEAR HARVEST PERMITS ISSUED BY 10% FOR EACH HUNTING SEASON THEREAFTER; TO SET THE PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Johnson
Last action: 2026-02-03
Official status: Dead
Effective date: July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

Official source material does not provide specific details on penalties or fees beyond mentioning their existence and limits.

Black Bear Harvest Permits

This bill requires the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to issue permits for hunting black bears starting in the 2026-2027 season with an annual increase of 10%.

What This Bill Does

Requires the commission to control and regulate black bear hunting.
Establishes a permit system for residents and nonresidents who want to hunt or kill black bears.
Limits the number of permits issued in 2026-2027 to 20 and increases this by 10% annually thereafter.

Who It Names or Affects

Hunters who want to hunt black bears in Mississippi
The Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Terms To Know

Black bear harvest permit: A special hunting license required for anyone wanting to hunt or kill a black bear.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill did not pass in its session and is no longer active.
It only applies to future hunting seasons starting from July 1, 2026, but it was never enacted.

Bill History

2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (S) Died In Committee
2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
01/19 (S) Referred To Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Official Summary Text

Black bear harvest permits; require issuance of 20 for the 2026-2027 hunting season with 10% annual increase thereafter.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

S. B. No. 2435 *SS36/R420* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G3/5
26/SS36/R420
PAGE 1 (baf\kr)

To: Wildlife, Fisheries and
Parks
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Johnson

SENATE BILL NO. 2435

AN ACT TO CREATE A NEW SECTION WITHIN CHAPTER 7, TITLE 49, 1
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI 2
COMMISSION ON WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS (COMMISSION) SHALL 3
CONTROL, REGULATE AND MANAGE THE TAKING OF ALL BLACK BEARS; TO 4
IMPOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTS AND NONRESIDENTS TO HUNT OR KILL 5
ANY BLACK BEAR FOR ANY PURPOSE; TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION, 6
BEGINNING WITH THE 2026-2027 HUNTING SEASON, TO ESTABLISH A BLACK 7
BEAR HARVEST PERMIT TO HUNT OR KILL BLACK BEARS AND TO ESTABLISH 8
THE FEE FOR SUCH PERMIT; TO REQUIRE THE COMMISSION TO ISSUE A 9
TOTAL OF 20 BLACK BEAR HARVEST PERMITS FOR THE 2026-2027 HUNTING 10
SEASON AND TO INCREASE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BLACK BEAR HARVEST 11
PERMITS ISSUED BY 10% FOR EACH HUNTING SEASON THEREAFTER; TO SET 12
THE PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 13
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 14
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as a separate 15
section within Chapter 7, Title 49, Mississippi Code of 1972: 16
49-7- . (1) The commission shall control, regulate and 17
manage the taking of all black bears. 18
(2) Residents and nonresidents shall be required to purchase 19
the following to hunt or kill any black bear for any purpose: 20
(a) A hunting license; and 21
(b) A black bear harvest permit established in 22
subsection (3) of this section. 23
S. B. No. 2435 *SS36/R420* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R420
PAGE 2 (baf\kr)
ST: Black bear harvest permits; require
issuance of 20 for the 2026-2027 hunting season
with 10% annual increase thereafter.
(3) (a) Beginning with the 2026-2027 hunting season, the 24
commission shall establish a black bear harvest permit to hunt or 25
kill black bears, and shall establish a reasonable fee for an 26
annual black bear harvest permit, not to exceed Two Hundred 27
Dollars ($200.00). Such permit shall be valid from the date of 28
its issuance to June 30 following its date. 29
(b) Beginning with the 2026-2027 hunting season, the 30
commission shall issue a total of twenty (20) black bear harvest 31
permits. For each hunting season thereafter, the commission shall 32
increase the total number of black bear harvest permits issued by 33
ten percent (10%), rounded to the nearest whole number. 34
(4) Any person who violates this section shall be deemed 35
guilty, upon conviction, of a Class I violation and shall be 36
punished as provided in Section 49-7-141. 37
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 38
and after July 1, 2026. 39