SB 1063: Good fences make good neighbors — 2023
ICL's position: Support
Current Bill Status: Dead
Issue Areas: Fences, Livestock, Private Land, Public Safety, Recreation, Wildlife
Senate Bill 1063, introduced by Senate Majority Caucus Chair Sen. Mark Harris (R-Soda Springs), clarifies requirements associated with maintaining barbed wire fences. The measure will make it easier for county sheriffs and law enforcement to issue infractions associated with the failure to maintain barbed wire fences that can injure livestock, wildlife, and humans.
Currently, sheriffs must issue misdemeanors, which adds bureaucratic legal burdens on law enforcement. Simplifying the penalty for a first time offense (from a misdemeanor to an infraction) will allow enforcement personnel to simply write a ticket instead of issuing a more formal misdemeanor citation.