Prohibits harassing or taking of certain wildlife at competitive event; establishes penalties.

A5065

ASSEMBLY, No. 5065

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 14, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

SYNOPSIS

���� Prohibits harassing or taking of certain wildlife at
competitive event; establishes penalties.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning the harassing or taking of certain wildlife
at competitive events, and supplementing Title 23 of the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

����� 1.�� As
used in this act:

����� "Competitive
event" means any activity, competition, contest, derby, tournament, or
other organized activity where participants are encouraged to take wildlife and
are rewarded by the receipt of a prize or any kind of inducement or reward.

����� "Covered
wildlife" means a bobcat, coyote, crow, fox, mink, opossum, rabbit,
raccoon, skunk, squirrel, weasel, woodchuck, or the dead body or parts
thereof.�

����� "Division"
means the Division of Fish and Wildlife in the Department of Environmental
Protection.

����� "Harass"
means to annoy, attack, disrupt normal behavior patterns of, or otherwise
disturb wildlife without taking it.

����� "Person"
means any individual, association, estate, firm, joint venture, limited
liability corporation, organization, partnership, receiver, syndicate, trust,
or other legal entity.

����� "Take"
means to hunt, capture, kill, trap, catch, net, possess, or collect, or to
attempt to hunt, capture, kill, trap, catch, net, possess, or collect,
wildlife.

����� 2.�� a.�
Except in conjunction with a field trial or field day authorized by a license
issued pursuant to R.S.23:4-26, it shall be unlawful:

����� (1)
�to harass or take covered wildlife at a competitive event; or

����� (2)
�for any person to organize, sponsor, promote, conduct, or participate in a
competitive event at which the participants harass or take covered wildlife.

����� b.�� A
person who violates this section shall be guilty of a disorderly persons
offense and, in addition to the applicable penalties pursuant to Title 2C of
the New Jersey Statutes, shall be subject to a five-year suspension of:

����� (1)�
any license or permit issued to the person by the Division of Fish and
Wildlife; and

����� (2)�
all privileges to take or possess wildlife.

����� c.�� Any
covered wildlife injured as a result of a competitive event held in violation
of this section shall be transported to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or
State licensed veterinarian for proper treatment or, if necessary, the
administration of humane euthanasia.� Euthanasia shall only be administered
after the best efforts to rehabilitate and release the animal have failed.

����� d.�� The
Division of Fish and Wildlife shall forfeit the remains of any covered wildlife
killed at a competitive event held in violation of this section, or euthanized
pursuant to subsection c. of this section, from the organizer, participant, or
promotor in possession thereof, as applicable.� It shall become the property of
the division.

����� e.�� The
provisions of this section may be enforced by municipal police officers, the
State Police, and law enforcement officers in the Division of Fish and Wildlife
and the Division of Parks and Forestry in the Department of Environmental
Protection.

���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill prohibits the
harassing or taking of certain wildlife (defined as "covered
wildlife" in the bill) at a competitive event, except in conjunction with
a field trial or field day authorized by a license issued pursuant to
R.S.23:4-26.� The bill also prohibits any person from organizing, sponsoring,
promoting, conducting, or participating in a competitive event at which the
participants harass or take covered wildlife except in conjunction with such an
authorized field trial or field day.� "Covered wildlife" is defined
as a bobcat, coyote, crow, fox, mink, opossum, rabbit, raccoon, skunk,
squirrel, weasel, woodchuck, or the dead body or parts thereof.

���� The bill provides that a
person who violates the prohibitions in the bill would be guilty of a
disorderly persons offense and, in addition to the applicable penalties
pursuant to Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes, would also have suspended for
five years:

���� 1) any license or permit
issued to the person by the Division of Fish and Wildlife; and

���� 2) all privileges to take or
possess wildlife.

���� A disorderly persons offense
is subject to a penalty of up to six months of imprisonment, a fine up to
$1,000, or both.

���� This bill requires any covered
wildlife injured as a result of a competitive event to be transported to a
licensed wildlife rehabilitator or State licensed veterinarian for proper
treatment or to be euthanized if necessary.� The bill authorizes the Division
of Fish and Wildlife to forfeit the remains of any covered wildlife killed at a
competitive event held in violation of this bill or euthanized as a result of
the competitive event.� Forfeited remains would become property of the Division
of Fish and Wildlife.� The bill directs municipal police officers, the State
Police, and law enforcement officers in the Division of Fish and Wildlife and
the Division of Parks and Forestry in the Department of Environmental
Protection to enforce the bill�s provisions.