1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to game and fish; modifying wolf management provisions; creating a 
1.3 	wolf management plan review advisory council; providing limits on wolf baiting; 
1.4 	providing for temporary suspension of wolf hunt; amending Minnesota Statutes 
1.5 	2012, sections 97B.646; 97B.647, subdivision 3, by adding a subdivision; 
1.6 	proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 97B.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 97B.646, is amended to read:
1.9 	97B.646 WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN.
1.10 	The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of agriculture, shall adopt 
1.11 	a wolf management plan that includes:
1.12 	(1) goals to ensure the long-term survival of the wolf in Minnesota, to reduce 
1.13 	conflicts between wolves and humans, to minimize depredation of livestock and domestic 
1.14 	pets, and to manage the ecological impact of wolves on prey species and other predators.;
1.15 	(2) an annual wolf census; and
1.16 	(3) educational strategies and development of materials for reducing conflicts 
1.17 	between wolves and humans.

1.18 	Sec. 2. [97B.6461] WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW ADVISORY 
1.19 	COUNCIL.
1.20 		Subdivision 1.Established; members. The Wolf Management Plan Review 
1.21 	Advisory Council has 17 members appointed by the commissioner as follows:
1.22 	(1) two representatives of environmental organizations;
1.23 	(2) two representatives of agricultural organizations;
1.24 	(3) two representatives of hunting and trapping organizations;
2.1 	(4) two representatives of wolf advocate organizations;
2.2 	(5) two representatives of government agencies;
2.3 	(6) two representatives of federally recognized Indian tribes and bands that have 
2.4 	jurisdiction over land within the state;
2.5 	(7) two biologists or scientists who have expertise in the study of wolves or 
2.6 	modeling of animal populations, and who are not employed by and do not receive funding 
2.7 	from the Department of Natural Resources;
2.8 	(8) one representative of an animal protection organization; and
2.9 	(9) two at-large members who do not fit the categories in clauses (1) to (8), and who 
2.10 	have a specific interest in wolf management issues.
2.11 		Subd. 2.Terms. Except for initial appointees, members will serve three-year terms.
2.12 		Subd. 3.Compensation; expenses. Members shall not receive compensation for 
2.13 	serving on the council, but shall receive expenses in the same manner and amount as 
2.14 	provided in the commissioner's plan under section 43A.18, subdivision 2.  Members 
2.15 	who, as a result of time spent attending council meetings, incur child care expenses that 
2.16 	would not otherwise have been incurred, may be reimbursed for those expenses upon 
2.17 	the commissioner's authorization. Members who are state employees or employees of 
2.18 	political subdivisions of the state may be reimbursed for child care expenses only for time 
2.19 	spent on council activities that are outside their normal working hours.
2.20 		Subd. 4.Removal. The commissioner may remove members (1) for cause, after 
2.21 	notice and a hearing; or (2) after missing three consecutive meetings.  The chair of the 
2.22 	council shall inform the commissioner of a member missing three consecutive meetings.  
2.23 	After the second consecutive missed meeting and before the next meeting, the chair of 
2.24 	the council shall notify the member in writing that the member may be removed for 
2.25 	missing the next meeting.
2.26 		Subd. 5.Vacancies. In the case of a vacancy, the commissioner must, within 90 
2.27 	days of the vacancy, appoint a member to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.
2.28 		Subd. 6.Chair; meetings. The council must elect a chair from among its members. 
2.29 	The chair shall convene meetings at least twice each year.
2.30 		Subd. 7.Duties. The council must report by January 15 of each year to the 
2.31 	commissioner and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees and 
2.32 	divisions in the senate and the house of representatives that have primary jurisdiction over 
2.33 	the environment on the efficacy of the wolf management plan adopted under section 
2.34 	97B.646 to ensure the maintenance of a healthy wolf population within the state.  The 
2.35 	report must include suggestions for altering the plan to ensure the maintenance of a 
2.36 	healthy wolf population within the state.

3.1 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 97B.647, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
3.2 		Subd. 3.Open areas. (a) The commissioner may by rule designate areas where 
3.3 	wolves may be taken.
3.4 	(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), if requested by tribal leadership, the 
3.5 	commissioner shall close federally recognized tribal lands to hunting and trapping wolves.

3.6 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 97B.647, is amended by adding a subdivision 
3.7 	to read:
3.8 		Subd. 8.Baiting limitation. Baiting wolves is prohibited within ten miles of tribal 
3.9 	lands where taking wolves is prohibited.

3.10 	Sec. 5. INITIAL APPOINTMENTS AND TERMS FOR THE WOLF 
3.11 	MANAGEMENT PLAN REVIEW ADVISORY COUNCIL; FIRST MEETING.
 3.12 	The commissioner must make initial appointments of the Wolf Management Plan 
3.13 	Review Advisory Council by September 1, 2014, and must convene the council's first 
3.14 	meeting by October 1, 2014.  When making initial appointments, the commissioner must 
3.15 	designate five members to serve a one-year term, six members to serve a two-year term, and 
3.16 	six members to serve a three-year term.  The council must elect a chair at its first meeting.

3.17 	Sec. 6. SUSPENSION OF WOLF HUNT; WOLF MANAGEMENT PLAN.
 3.18 	(a) The open seasons for taking wolves authorized under Minnesota Statutes, 
3.19 	section 97B.647, are suspended in order to study outcomes of the wolf hunt on the wolf 
3.20 	population and to implement the wolf management plan under Minnesota Statutes, section 
3.21 	97B.646. The suspension continues and no wolves may be taken until the requirements in 
3.22 	paragraphs (b) to (e) are met and the results are submitted to the house of representatives 
3.23 	and senate committees with jurisdiction over natural resource policy.
3.24 	(b) The commissioner of natural resources must provide comprehensive, publicly 
3.25 	accessible data of all known wolf deaths and illnesses in the state, including deaths 
3.26 	from the destruction of wolves authorized under Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.645, 
3.27 	poaching, and car kills.
3.28 	(c) The commissioner of natural resources must conduct a study of public sentiment 
3.29 	towards wolves, including issues related to intolerance.
3.30 	(d) The commissioner of natural resources, in consultation with the commissioner of 
3.31 	agriculture, must develop comprehensive best management practices (BMPs) that may be 
3.32 	used by livestock producers to reduce and prevent wolf depredation. The BMPs should 
4.1 	include both lethal and nonlethal control methods. The commissioner must disseminate 
4.2 	the BMPs to livestock producers through traditional and digital media platforms. 
4.3 	(e) The commissioner of natural resources must produce a map of wolf and human 
4.4 	conflicts, including wolf predation on livestock.
4.5 	(f) In support of the annual wolf census required under Minnesota Statutes, section 
4.6 	97B.646, the commissioner of natural resources must increase the number of trained 
4.7 	wolf counters in zone B.