TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florid Senators passed a bill, which allows Florida residents to shoot and kill bears if they threaten a person or their property.
HB 87, sponsored by Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, passed by a vote of 24 to 12 on Wednesday.
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Under the bill, a person will not face criminal penalties for using lethal force against a bear if they believe there is a threat of death or serious bodily injury to himself/ herself, serious injury or death to a bed or substantial damage to a dwelling.
Senator Ana Aaria Rodriguez (R) District 40, Homestead, spoke during the debate on Wednesday. Rodriguez said she had a bear scare in her Homestead neighborhood recently and was afraid for her children.
People who shoot bears would be required to notify the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission within 24 hours of killing the bear and show they did not recklessly place themselves or pets in situations.
People would not be allowed to possess or sell bear carcasses after the killings.
HB 87 will become law if signed by Governor DeSantis and will take effect on July 1, 2024.
Florida’s bear population has rebounded after declining to about 300 in the 1970s. The state allowed a limited bear hunt in 2015, when the population was estimated to be 3,500. The decision was popular among hunters, with more than 3,200 hunters purchasing permits to participate.
For more information about Florida black bears, click on this link.