Mountain Lions: pilot program: permitted houndspersons.

Senator Alvarado-Gil's mountain lion management legislation establishes a five-year pilot program in El Dorado County allowing permitted private houndspersons to proactively haze mountain lions deemed potential threats to public safety or domestic animals. The "Tree and Free" program requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop criteria for registering and permitting qualified houndspersons by January 2027, in collaboration with federal, state and county trapping experts and relevant nonprofit organizations.

The department must work with El Dorado County officials to define authorized program areas and implement an annual hazing permit system, with fees capped at program implementation costs. Permitted houndspersons can conduct nonlethal hazing of mountain lions identified as risks by the department, animal damage control officers, or local enforcement agencies. The bill expands the definition of authorized "agents" under existing law to include these registered houndspersons.

Following the pilot's conclusion, the department must submit a report to the Legislature and Fish and Game Commission by January 2033 analyzing the effectiveness of proactive hazing as a nonlethal deterrent and evaluating potential expansion to other areas experiencing increased mountain lion conflicts. The report will examine program outcomes, costs, and feasibility of broader implementation beyond El Dorado County.