The Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources Subcommittee voted to pass Senate Bill 1074, a measure that moves the commercial harvesting of privately owned, commercially bred farmed animals from the Department of Wildlife to the Department of Agriculture.

Representative Strom, who presented the bill, said the farming operations have long been regulated by the Department of Agriculture while harvesting had been administered by Wildlife. Strom said moving harvesting to the Department of Agriculture brings the State Veterinarian and State Epidemiologist into the process and helps mitigate disease transmission risks: "one of the biggest risks that exist in this industry is disease and transmission of disease." He described the industry as large and said the change will keep privately owned farmed animals under agricultural regulation while wildlife and state-owned animals remain under Wildlife Department authority.

Members asked detailed operational questions. Representative Puskalski asked about licensing and fee levels; Strom said the permit fee referenced was $300 and that the licensing language suggested licenses would be issued on application. Representatives raised concerns about implementation costs and whether workload transfers would require funding shifts between agencies; Strom said some responsibilities now paid by Wildlife would move to Agriculture and that Agriculture officials indicated the physical impact would be less than earlier estimates.

Committee members also questioned which animals would fall under Agriculture versus Wildlife and whether testing or other disease controls would be required; Strom said the bill does not in itself change testing regimes but places the privately owned, farmed stock under Agriculture, which he said provides more access to indemnity programs and disease-mitigation grants. After discussion, the committee adopted a do-pass recommendation. The clerk recorded six yays and four nays and the chair declared the bill passed the subcommittee.