S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2631
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 26, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. GUNTHER, LUPARDO, WOERNER, STECK, SANTABARBARA,
   BUTTENSCHON, LEMONDES, BARRETT, MILLER -- read once  and  referred  to
   the Committee on Environmental Conservation
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  environmental  conservation law, in relation to
   crossbows; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating ther-
   eto

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Paragraph  a  of  subdivision 1, the closing paragraph of
 paragraph a of subdivision 2, paragraphs  1  and  2  of  subdivision  3,
 subdivision  5 and subdivision 9 of section 11-0701 of the environmental
 conservation law, paragraph a of subdivision 1 as amended by section  21
 and  subdivision  9 as amended by section 17 of part EE of chapter 55 of
 the laws of 2014, the closing paragraph of paragraph a of subdivision 2,
 paragraphs 1 and 2 of subdivision 3 and  subdivision  5  as  amended  by
 section  1-a of part R of chapter 58 of the laws of 2013, are amended to
 read as follows:
   a. entitles a holder who is twelve or thirteen years of  age  to  hunt
 wildlife,  except  big  game,  as  provided  in  title 9 of this article
 subject, specifically, to the provisions  of  section  11-0929  of  this
 article.  It  entitles  such  holder  to possess firearms as provided in
 section 265.05 of the penal law. [A holder who  is  twelve  or  thirteen
 years of age shall not hunt with a crossbow.]
   A  holder  may  take  fish  with  a longbow OR CROSSBOW as provided in
 titles 9 and 13 of this article.
   (1) who is between the ages of twelve and sixteen years to  hunt  wild
 deer  and  bear  with  a  longbow OR CROSSBOW during the special archery
 season and during the regular season, as provided in  title  9  of  this
 article,  subject to the provisions of section 11-0929 and subdivision 3
 of section 11-0713 of this article;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00085-01-3
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   (2) who is eighteen years of age or older to hunt wild deer  and  bear
 with a longbow OR CROSSBOW, as provided in title 9 of this article, in a
 special [longbow] ARCHERY season; and
   5.  A non-resident bear tag entitles a person who has not been a resi-
 dent of the state for more than thirty days who also possesses a hunting
 license to hunt bear during the regular open season therefor  or  in  an
 open season fixed by regulation pursuant to subdivision eight of section
 11-0903  of  this  article.  It  entitles a non-resident holder who also
 possesses a hunting license with bowhunting privilege to hunt bear  with
 a longbow OR CROSSBOW during the open bear season. It entitles a non-re-
 sident  holder  who also possesses a hunting license with muzzle-loading
 privilege to hunt bear with a muzzleloader during the open bear season.
   9. A muzzle-loading privilege when included on a hunting license enti-
 tles a holder who is fourteen years of age or older to  hunt  wild  deer
 and  bear  with  a  muzzle-loading firearm [or crossbow], as provided in
 title 9 of this article, in a special muzzle-loading firearm season.
   § 2. Paragraph b of subdivision 6 of section 11-0703 of  the  environ-
 mental conservation law, as amended by section 2 of part R of chapter 58
 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  Except  as provided in section 11-0707 and section 11-0709 of this
 title, no person shall (1) hunt wild deer or  bear  unless  such  person
 holds  and  is entitled to exercise the privileges of a hunting license,
 and meets the requirements of this article; (2) hunt wild deer  or  bear
 with  a longbow OR CROSSBOW in a special [longbow] ARCHERY season unless
 such person holds and is entitled to exercise the privileges of a  hunt-
 ing  license  with  a bowhunting privilege and meets the requirements of
 this article; or (3) hunt  wild  deer  or  bear  with  a  muzzle-loading
 firearm in a special muzzle-loading firearm season unless such person is
 at  least  fourteen years old and holds a hunting license with a muzzle-
 loading privilege and meets the requirements of this article.
   § 3. Subdivision 6 of section 11-0713 of the  environmental  conserva-
 tion law is REPEALED.
   § 4. Subparagraph 3 of paragraph c of subdivision 3 of section 11-0901
 of the environmental conservation law is REPEALED.
   §  5.  Paragraph c of subdivision 3 of section 11-0901 of the environ-
 mental conservation law, as amended by section 19 of part EE of  chapter
 55 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   c.  Wild  small game and wild upland game birds shall be taken only by
 longbow, CROSSBOW or gun, or by the use of raptors as provided in  title
 10 of this article, except that:
   (1) skunk, raccoon, bobcat, coyote, fox, mink and muskrat may be taken
 in  any manner not prohibited in this section or in title 11 of the Fish
 and Wildlife Law; AND
   (2) frogs may also be taken by spearing, catching with the  hands,  or
 by the use of a club or hook[; and].
   §  6.  Subparagraph 9 of paragraph b and subparagraph 9 of paragraph c
 of subdivision 4 of section 11-0901 of  the  environmental  conservation
 law,  subparagraph  9  of paragraph b as added by section 6 and subpara-
 graph 9 of paragraph c as added by section 7 of part EE of chapter 55 of
 the laws of 2014, are amended to read as follows:
   (9) with a crossbow unless such crossbow shall consist of  a  bow  and
 string,  either  compound  or  recurve, that launches a minimum fourteen
 inch [bolt] ARROW, not including point, mounted  upon  a  stock  with  a
 trigger  that  holds  the string and limbs under tension until released.
 The trigger unit of such crossbow must have a working safety. The [mini-
 mum limb width of such crossbow shall be seventeen inches, have a] mini-
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 mum peak draw weight [of] SHALL BE one hundred  pounds  [and  a  maximum
 peak  draw  weight of two hundred pounds]. The minimum overall length of
 such crossbow from buttstock to front  of  limbs  shall  be  twenty-four
 inches.
   (9)  with  a  crossbow unless such crossbow shall consist of a bow and
 string, either compound or recurve, that  launches  a  minimum  fourteen
 inch  [bolt]  ARROW,  not  including  point, mounted upon a stock with a
 trigger that holds the string and limbs under  tension  until  released.
 The trigger unit of such crossbow must have a working safety. The [mini-
 mum limb width of such crossbow shall be seventeen inches, have a] mini-
 mum  peak  draw  weight  [of] SHALL BE one hundred pounds [and a maximum
 peak draw weight of two hundred pounds]. The minimum overall  length  of
 such  crossbow  from  buttstock  to  front of limbs shall be twenty-four
 inches.
   § 7. Subdivision 13 of section 11-0901 of the environmental  conserva-
 tion  law,  as amended by section 23 of part R of chapter 58 of the laws
 of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   13. Persons engaged in hunting deer and/or bear with a  longbow  OR  A
 CROSSBOW  must possess a current bowhunting privilege or a valid certif-
 icate of qualification in responsible  bowhunting  practices  issued  or
 honored by the department.
   §  8.  Subdivisions  11 and 16 of section 11-0901 of the environmental
 conservation law are REPEALED.
   § 9. Section 11-0903 of the environmental conservation law is  amended
 by adding a new subdivision 12 to read as follows:
   12.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  INCONSISTENT PROVISION OF THIS ARTICLE, THE
 DEPARTMENT IS AUTHORIZED TO ADOPT REGULATIONS WHICH AUTHORIZE THE TAKING
 OF WILDLIFE BY THE USE OF CROSSBOW. A  SUMMARY  OF  REGULATIONS  ADOPTED
 PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE PUBLISHED EACH YEAR IN THE HUNTING
 SYLLABUS ISSUED PURSUANT TO SECTION 11-0323 OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 10. Subdivision 10 of section 11-0907 of the environmental conserva-
 tion law is REPEALED.
   §  11. Subdivision 1 of section 11-0929 of the environmental conserva-
 tion law, as amended by section 20 of part EE of chapter 55 of the  laws
 of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  A  licensee  who is twelve or thirteen years of age shall not hunt
 wildlife with a gun, CROSSBOW or a longbow unless he or she is  accompa-
 nied  by  his or her parent or legal guardian, or by a person twenty-one
 years of age or older designated in writing by  his  or  her  parent  or
 legal guardian on a form prescribed by the department, who holds a hunt-
 ing  license.  [A  licensee who is twelve or thirteen years of age shall
 not hunt with a crossbow.]
   § 12. Subparagraph 5 of  paragraph  b  of  subdivision  2  of  section
 11-0929  of the environmental conservation law is  REPEALED and subpara-
 graph 6 is renumbered subparagraph 5.
   § 13. Subparagraph 2 of paragraph a and subparagraph 1 of paragraph  b
 of  subdivision  4  of section 11-0931 of the environmental conservation
 law, as amended by section 8 of part EE of chapter 55  of  the  laws  of
 2014, are amended to read as follows:
   (2)  discharge  a  firearm within five hundred feet, a long bow within
 one hundred fifty feet, or a crossbow within  [two]  ONE  hundred  fifty
 feet  from  a  dwelling  house, farm building or farm structure actually
 occupied or used, school building, school playground, public  structure,
 or occupied factory or church;
   (1) The owner or lessee of the dwelling house, or members of his imme-
 diate  family  actually  residing therein, or a person in his employ, or
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 the guest of the owner or lessee of the dwelling house acting  with  the
 consent  of  said owner or lessee, provided however, that nothing herein
 shall be deemed to authorize such persons to discharge a firearm  within
 five hundred feet, a long bow within one hundred fifty feet, or a cross-
 bow  within [two] ONE hundred fifty feet of any other dwelling house, or
 a farm building or farm structure actually occupied or used, or a school
 building or playground, public structure, or occupied factory or church;
   § 14. Section 11-0933 of the environmental conservation law, as  added
 by  section  22 of part EE of chapter 55 of the laws of 2014, is amended
 to read as follows:
 § 11-0933. Taking small game by crossbow.
   Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, or any  prior  notwith-
 standing  language  in  this article, the department may, by regulation,
 authorize the taking of small game and wild upland game birds by the use
 of a crossbow by any licensed person [fourteen] TWELVE years of  age  or
 older,  in  any small game season[, in any area designated in items (a),
 (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (i), (k), and (l) of paragraph a of subdivision
 two of section 11-0907 of this title in which a shotgun or muzzle loader
 is permitted].
   § 15. This act shall take effect immediately.