ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1932

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JUNE 13, 1996

      The Assembly Agriculture and Waste Management Committee favorably reports Assembly Bill No. 1932 with committee amendments.

      As amended, Assembly Bill No. 1932 provides that whenever a crop depredation permit is issued by the State to a person to kill deer causing crop damage on land under cultivation pursuant to the provisions of R.S.4-42, it shall be lawful for the permittee or authorized agent thereof, for the purposes authorized by the permit and only while on the land or lands owned or leased by that person, (but not on or along any public highway adjacent thereto) and for which the permit is issued, to:

      (1) Kill either sex deer at any time of day or night;

      (2) Discharge a firearm authorized pursuant to the provisions of R.S.23:4-44 from a motor vehicle or any other kind of vehicle;

      (3) Transport, possess, have in the permittee's or agent's control, or keep firearms uncased, loaded, and outside the trunk while in or on a motor vehicle or any other kind of vehicle;

      (4) Utilize an illuminating device or devices, including but not limited to a spotlight, flashlight, floodlight, or headlight, whether portable or fixed to a motor vehicle or any other kind of vehicle, to locate and stun deer; and

      (5) Be assisted by the use of a driver for the motor vehicle or other kind of vehicle, and by a person or persons operating the illuminating device or devices, none of whom shall be required to possess a firearms purchaser identification card while providing such assistance.

      The committee finds that this bill is necessary to help farmers effectively control massive crop damage caused by the very large deer population throughout the State. Current regulations impose too many restrictive conditions upon the use of special deer crop depredation permits issued to farmers, thus significantly inhibiting their ability to achieve the desired goal of saving their crops from destruction and preventing the serious economic losses that result therefrom. This bill would make it easier for farmers to protect their farms from deer damage by removing some of the permit conditions currently imposed.