Ron DeSantis signing new law about killing bears raises eyebrows

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a controversial bill into law on Friday that allows residents to shoot bears if they perceive a threat, sparking debate and concern among wildlife advocates and others.

The legislation, known as HB 87, was signed by DeSantis on Friday without public comment. The new law, which goes into effect on July 1, permits individuals to use lethal force against bears if they believe there is an “imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury” to a person, pet, or substantial damage to a dwelling.

Proponents of the bill say that it provides necessary protection for residents, particularly in rural areas of North Florida where human-bear encounters have become more frequent. Elizabeth Fleming, senior Florida representative with Defenders of Wildlife, told Politico on Friday that the bill signing was “very unfortunate” and suggested that legal challenges may be forthcoming.

Defenders of Wildlife previously urged DeSantis to veto the bill and protect bears in the state. A message on its website said that the bill would legalize a “shoot first, ask questions later” approach to interacting with Florida black bears. A Change petition started by OneProtest in 2023 also demanded the bill be vetoed, claiming it “promotes a false narrative that bears are overpopulating and threaten human safety.”

Newsweek has reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment on Saturday via email for comment.

Florida state Representative Anna V. Eskamani, a Democrat, voiced her disappointment over the bill on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote Friday: “On a Friday night DeSantis just signed multiple bills into law, including legislation that makes it easier to shoot and kill black bears (HB87) and legislation that guts Florida’s ethics commission agencies. Very disappointing.”

X user Lesley Abravanel quipped that the Republican governor should probably be tackling more important matters in the state than bears, “DeSantis signs self-defense law to let Floridians shoot ‘menacing’ bears, because bears are such a huge problem in Florida. But MENACING GUNS THAT KILL INNOCENT CHILDREN ARE PERFECTLY LEGAL AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE.”

Author and journalist Craig Pittman wrote: “#Florida @GovRonDeSantis signs (completely unnecessary) self-defense law to let Floridians stand their ground against bears.”

Supporters says the bill includes several provisions aimed at preventing abuse. Individuals who shoot a bear must report the incident to state wildlife officials within 24 hours and are prohibited from keeping any part of the animal. The law also stipulates that the shooter must have reasonably believed their action was necessary and cannot have intentionally placed themselves or their pets in a threatening situation.

The bill’s sponsor, Florida state Representative Jason Shoaf, a Republican, faced some lighthearted criticism during the legislative process for his colorful language describing the need for the law.

“When you run into one of these crack bears you should be able to shoot it—period,” he said in a House committee meeting earlier this year.

This viral comment led to a humorous exchange in the Legislature, including a reference to the 2023 movie Cocaine Bear by Eskamani who playfully questioned whether Shoaf was aware that the film was not a documentary.

“Yes, I’m aware,” Shoaf responded.

Despite the viral moment, the law’s passage has reignited serious discussions about human-wildlife conflict management in Florida. The state’s black bear population has rebounded in recent decades leading to increased interactions with humans in some areas. As the law takes effect next month, state wildlife officials will likely face the challenge of balancing public safety concerns with the need to protect Florida’s bear population.