An Act relating to state refuges, sanctuaries, and fish and game critical habitat areas; relating to the hunting of brown bear; and providing for an effective date.
HB 321 prohibits the hunting of brown bears in specific areas of the Katmai region, including the McNeil River Wildlife Sanctuary and designated sections of land adjacent to Katmai National Park and Preserve. The bill defines exact boundaries using geographic descriptions (e.g., Township 14 South, Range 32 West) to restrict hunting on both state and federal lands in these zones. This directly affects hunters seeking to hunt brown bears within the defined areas. The bill also updates management standards for wildlife refuges but does not change general hunting regulations outside these protected zones. The prohibition applies to all brown bear hunting in the specified locations, regardless of permit type.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 23, 2026
Last action Apr 21, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
HB 321
→
CSHB 321(RES)
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill was formally converted from a House Bill to a Committee Substitute (CSHB), indicating it has been amended by the House Resources Committee. The most significant substantive change is the renaming of the protected brown bear hunting ban area from the 'Katmai area' to the 'Kamishak Bay area,' which alters the specific geographic boundaries where hunting is prohibited. Additionally, the bill now explicitly recognizes federal 'Ranges' alongside Bird and Wildlife Refuges as areas where the state has not assented to federal control over fish and game.
Scope change
The geographic scope of the brown bear hunting prohibition was modified to specifically target the Kamishak Bay area rather than the broader Katmai area, and the definition of protected federal lands was expanded to include 'Ranges.'
SCOPE
The protected area for the brown bear hunting ban was changed from the 'Katmai area' to the 'Kamishak Bay area,' altering the specific land and water boundaries where hunting is prohibited.
The definition of protected federal lands was updated to include 'Ranges' in addition to Bird and Wildlife Refuges, expanding the scope of areas where the state retains jurisdiction over fish and game.
TECHNICAL
The bill title and metadata were updated to reflect its status as a Committee Substitute (CSHB 321(RES)), indicating it has been amended by the House Resources Committee.
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
16
Key actions
1
Committee
2
Apr 21, 2026
Committee
(H) REFERRED TO FINANCE
lower
Apr 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) Moved CSHB 321(RES) Out of Committee
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Andy Josephson
DDemocratic
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