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_STATUTE17-314. 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), or

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