KRS 150.0241: Access to and use of commission-managed lands for hunting --

Duties of commission and other state agencies -- Reports.

(1) As used in this section unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Commission" has the same meaning as in KRS 150.010;

(b) "Commission-managed lands" means those lands owned by the

commission, those lands owned by the Commonwealth over which the

commission holds management authority, or those privately owned lands

that are leased or managed by the commission; and

(c) "Hunting" means the lawful pursuit, trapping, shooting, capture, collection,

or killing of wildlife or the lawful attempt to do the same.

(2) Commission-managed lands shall be open to access and use for hunting

except as limited by the commission for reasons of fish or wildlife management,

or as otherwise limited by a statute outside KRS Chapter 150 or 235.

(3) The commission, in exercising its authority under the Constitution of the

Commonwealth of Kentucky and statutes, shall exercise its authority consistent

with subsection (2) of this section, in a manner that supports, promotes, and

enhances hunting opportunities to the extent authorized by law.

(4) Commission land management decisions and actions, including decisions

made by private owners to close land managed by the commission, shall not

result in any net loss of habitat land acreage available for hunting opportunities

on commission-managed lands that exists on July 15, 2010. The commission

shall expeditiously find replacement acreage for hunting to compensate for

closures of any existing hunting land. Replacement lands shall, to the greatest

extent possible, be located within the same commission district and shall be

consistent with the hunting discipline that the commission allowed on the

closed land.

(5) Any state agency that owns or manages lands shall assist and coordinate and

cooperate with the commission to allow hunting on these lands if the lands are

determined by the commission and that agency to be suitable for hunting. To

ensure no net loss of land acreage available for hunting, state agencies shall

cooperate with the commission to open new, additional hunting lands to

replace lost hunting acreage. Lands officially designated as units within the

state park system may be considered for replacement hunting lands and may

be open for hunting when necessary as a wildlife control or management tool

as determined by the Department of Parks.

(6) By October 1 of each year, the commissioner shall submit to the Legislative

Research Commission and the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources

and Environment a written report describing:

(a) The acreage managed by the commission that was closed to hunting

during the previous fiscal year and the reasons for the closures; and

(b) The acreage managed by the commission that was opened to hunting to

compensate for closures of existing land pursuant to subsection (4) of this

section.

(7) By October 1 of each year, any state agency that owns or manages lands shall

submit a written report to the commission, the Legislative Research

Commission, and the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and

Environment describing:

(a) A list of properties that were open for hunting during the previous fiscal

year;

(b) A list of properties that were not open for hunting during the previous

fiscal year; and

(c) 1. The acreage for each property and the county where each property

is located, including lands on which a right-of-way exists which make

the lands unsuitable for hunting, and an explanation of why the

right-of-way makes the land unsuitable for hunting; and

2. Parcels under fifty (50) acres. No agency shall subdivide land it

owns or manages into parcels under fifty (50) acres in an attempt to

avoid compliance with the provisions of this section.

(8) The first report under this section shall be due no later than October 1, 2010.