Bill > HB509

This bill modifies Alabama's game breeder licensing regulations, focusing primarily on deer (cervids) breeding and management. The legislation establishes new definitions for cervids and protected game animals, and updates the game breeder licensing process by clarifying licensing fees, investigation requirements, and renewal conditions. Specifically, the bill sets graduated license fees based on the number of cervids (ranging from $250 for up to 50 animals to $1,000 for over 100 animals), and introduces new restrictions on state agencies' ability to require deer killing or testing for diseases. The bill requires the department to develop rules by March 2026 that allow for the controlled transfer of cervids between licensed facilities, including provisions for disease testing such as using USDA-certified live tests for chronic wasting disease, genomic testing, or other approved methods. Importantly, the bill limits state agencies' authority to mandate deer culling, allowing such actions only under specific epidemiological circumstances, such as when a disease has been detected in another animal owned by the same licensee or is linked to a transferred animal's previous location.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search