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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
right to hunt; fish; harvest
Purpose
Declares that the citizens of Arizona have the right to lawfully hunt, fish and harvest wildlife and prohibits the Arizona Game and Fish Commission (Commission) from enacting or adopting any rule or policy that unreasonably restricts hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife or the use of traditional means and methods.
Background
Wildlife, both resident and migratory, native or introduced, found in Arizona, except fish and bullfrogs impounded in private ponds or tanks or wildlife and birds reared or held in captivity under permit or license from the Commission, are the property of Arizona and may be taken at such times, in such places, in such manner and with such devices as provided by law or rule of the Commission (A.R.S. § 17-102).
The Commission
must: 1) adopt rules and establish services it deems necessary to carry out the
provisions and purposes of the regulations relating to game and fish; 2)
establish broad policies and long-range programs for the management,
preservation and harvest of wildlife;
3) establish hunting, trapping and fishing rules and prescribe the manner and
methods that may be used in taking wildlife; 4) be responsible for the
enforcement of laws for the protection of wildlife; 5) prescribe by rule,
license classifications that are valid for taking or handling of wildlife, fees
for licenses, permits, tags, stamps and application fees; and 6) perform other
statutorily prescribed duties (A.R.S. §§ 17-231
and 17-301).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Declares that the citizens of Arizona have the right to lawfully hunt, fish and harvest wildlife.
2. Deems that wildlife is the property of Arizona and is held in trust for the benefit of the citizens of Arizona.
3. Declares that the Legislature has exclusive authority to regulate the manner, methods and seasons for hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife.
4. Allows the Legislature to delegate the rulemaking authority to the Commission.
5. Prohibits the Commission from enacting or adopting any rule or policy that unreasonably restricts hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife or the use of traditional means and methods.
6. Declares that it is the policy of Arizona that public hunting and fishing are the preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife.
7. Specifies that the outlined declarations relating to the right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife do not modify any provision of common law or any law of Arizona relating to trespass or property rights.
8. Designates this legislation as the Arizona Right to Hunt Act.
9. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
LARA 2/9/26 DPA 5-3-0-0
3rd Read 2/25/26 31-22-7
Prepared by Senate Research
March 20, 2026
SB/hk