An unnamed senator presenting Senate Bill 1073 told the committee that the bill would add raffling or lottery as a method the Department of Wildlife could use to distribute permits for certain hunts.

The bill “adds raffling or lottery to the part the possibilities that they can give the permits out at,” the senator said. He added that the change would not create a mountain lion hunting season; it would only specify that if the department decided a mountain lion season was necessary, permits could be allocated by raffle. The presenter also said other species (for example, American alligator or bighorn sheep) could be handled the same way if the wildlife department deemed it necessary.

Representative King asked whether there were immediate plans to open a mountain lion season; King said, “So you're saying right now there's no immediate plans to have this mountain lion hunting. It's just saying we're throwing them in there because it's potential down the road.” The presenter replied that the bill does not require a season and that the raffle method would apply only if the department decided one was needed.

A motion to “do pass” was made and seconded; the committee opened the vote. Representative Cornwell was recorded as voting yes, and the clerk announced 4 yays and 0 nays. The chair declared the motion passed and said the bill would be reported as due passed.

The bill text, as described to the committee, does not itself create a mountain lion season; it only authorizes a raffle method for permit allocation should the Department of Wildlife establish a season or determine another species needs the same allocation method. The presenter noted the raffle option could be used in specific areas, such as the Panhandle, but left specifics to the wildlife department's implementation.