Feral Swine; criminal penalty deleted for transporting swine; conservation department prohibited from restricting transport

HB 414 removes criminal penalties for transporting live feral swine in Alabama, changing current law that treated this as a Class B misdemeanor with a $2,500 minimum fine. The bill directly affects landowners, hunters, and others who transport feral swine, as well as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which can no longer restrict such transport. Key provisions delete all criminal penalty language related to transportation and explicitly state that transporting feral swine is not a criminal offense. The bill also prohibits the conservation department from banning this activity, taking effect immediately upon enactment.