Excepts agricultural land defined as livestock and livestock products from the prohibition on salt licks made, set or used on land inhabited by deer or bear

BILL NUMBER:S851

Title of bill

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the prohibition on salt licks on land inhabited by deer or bear and prohibiting the hunting of deer or bear with the aid of a salt lick

Purpose

This bill exempts agricultural land used for production of livestock or livestock products from the prohibition on salt licks.

Summary of provisions

State Environmental Conservation Law is amended to exempt agricultural land used for production of livestock or livestock products from the prohibition on salt licks which is applicable to all land inhabited by deer or bear.

Justification

The practice of baiting deer or bear with the use of salt licks for purposes of big game hunting is illegal in New York State. This statutory ban was implemented with the intention of preventing big game hunters from setting salt licks to attract and hunt deer. This prohibition does have an unintended consequence of disallowing farmers which use salt licks as a nutritional device for their pastured animals (i.e. beef cows) from employing salt licks in their livestock operation. This legislation clarifies that the salt lick ban is not germane to working farms with livestock.

Legislative history

2009-2010: S.2472 Referred to Environmental Conservation 2007-2008: S.4499A/A.8351A Passed Senate

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

Immediately, with provisions.