reduce time roadkill remains on roads and improve public safety, wildlife health, and environmental cleanliness.

 

This bill will assign a single department for removal. This bill will have the DNR collect carrion within one business

day and relocate it to a nearby natural environment under DNR supervision unless it shows signs of disease, in which

case it will be properly disposed of. This will improve road safety, reduce disease transmission, discourage scavengers

from using roads as food sources, and promote cleaner communities and environments.

 

Responsibility for roadkill removal on public roads shall be transferred from the Department of Transportation and

county authorities to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR shall establish a Roadkill Response Division,

responsible for responding to roadkill reports. Signs will be posted along major roads displaying a toll-free number for

citizens to report roadkill. Callers will face no penalties for reporting roadkill.

This process will:

-Discourage scavengers from relying on roads for food.

-Reduce the presence of invasive scavenger species.

-Help prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer populations.

-Provide research specimens for disease prevention and wildlife management.

-Reduce the risk of secondary collisions caused by roadkill.

Additionally, usable carrion will be made available to local wildlife rehabilitation centers via donation for use as

animal feed or study material. Civilians will still be permitted to take carrion from roads without penalty, consistent

with current Minnesota law.

 

 

Signs- Roadside postings on metal signs with a DNR number to report roadkill. They will note that callers will face no

penalties. Roadsigns will be posted every 50 miles unless the DNR sees reason to post more or less signs.

Natural environment - Forested or wild area accessible to the DNR and suitable for returning carcasses to the ecosystem.

Chronic wasting disease - Fatal neurological disease affecting deer and related species, leading to a loss of body and

brain function.

Carrion - Carcass of an animal killed on or near a roadway.

 

Funding for this program will come from a 0.5% increase in hunting and fishing license fees, directed to the DNR for

establishing and maintaining the roadkill response division. Excess funds may be used for research aimed to reduce

future collisions and improve wildlife health management.

 

Instances of nonresponse by the roadkill subdepartment shall be reviewed on a case by case basis by the DNR and local

law enforcement.

 

This bill will be put into effect January 1st of 2028.