New Jersey S 4225: Prohibits use of lead ammunition in hunting.

Bill Text

S4225 

SENATE, No. 4225 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED MAY 14, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANDREW ZWICKER

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

SYNOPSIS

���� Prohibits use of lead ammunition in hunting. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act prohibiting the use of lead ammunition in 
hunting, amending R.S.23:1-1 and R.S.23:4-13, and supplementing Title 23 of the 
Revised Statutes. �

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� R.S.23:1-1 is amended to 
read as follows:

���� 23:1-1. As used in this title:

���� �Ammunition� means an 
object consisting of all the following components: a fixed metallic or 
nonmetallic hull casing containing a primer; one or more projectiles, bullets, 
or shots; and gunpowder.� All the specified components shall be present for an 
object to be ammunition.� Ammunition shall not include, without limitation, 
blank ammunition, air gun pellets, flare gun ammunition, nail gun ammunition, 
paint ball ammunition, or any non-fixed ammunition;

���� "Apprentice license" 
means any resident's apprentice firearm hunting license, resident's apprentice 
bow and arrow license, nonresident's apprentice firearm hunting license, or 
nonresident's apprentice bow and arrow license issued pursuant to R.S.23:3-4;

���� "Assistant 
protector" or "assistant fish and game protector" means the 
Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Law Enforcement in the division;

���� "Closed season" 
means the date and time of year when wildlife may not be captured, taken, 
killed, or had in possession in the field;

���� "Code" means the 
State Fish and Game Code;

���� "Conservation police 
officer" means any sworn, salaried member of the Bureau of Law Enforcement 
in the division holding the titles of Conservation Police Officer I, II, or 
III, and includes the titles of Supervising Conservation Police Officer and 
Chief of the Bureau of Law Enforcement;

���� "Council" means the 
Fish and Game Council in the Division of Fish and Wildlife in the Department of 
Environmental Protection;

���� "Delaware river" 
means the waters of the Delaware river from the Pennsylvania shore to the New 
Jersey shore, or in the case of any tributaries or inland bays on the New 
Jersey side, to the mouths of those tributaries or bays;

���� "Deputy warden" or 
"deputy fish and game warden" means any commissioned deputy 
conservation police officer of the Bureau of Law Enforcement in the division;

���� "Division," 
"Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife," "board," or 
"Board of Fish and Game Commissioners" means the Division of Fish and 
Wildlife in the Department of Environmental Protection;

���� "Fishing" means the 
possession of an instrument used to take fish in a condition that makes the 
instrument readily usable, while in a place or in proximity thereto where fish 
may be found;

���� "Hunting" means the 
possession of an instrument used to take wildlife in a condition that makes the 
instrument readily usable, while in a place or in proximity thereto where 
wildlife may be found;

���� �Nonlead ammunition� means 
ammunition that: contains no lead; is constituted of one percent or less of 
lead; or the federal government has approved as nonlead ammunition;

���� "Open season" means 
the date and time of year when wildlife may be captured, taken, killed, or had 
in possession;

���� "Protector" or 
"fish and game protector" means the Chief of the Bureau of Law 
Enforcement in the division;

���� "Warden" or 
"fish and game warden" means a conservation police officer;

���� "Wildlife" means any 
wild mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, mollusk, crustacean, or other wild 
animal or any part, product, egg, or offspring or the dead body or parts 
thereof.

(cf: P.L.2019, c.407, s.5)

���� 2.��� R.S.23:4-13 is amended 
to read as follows: 

���� 23:4-13.� A person shall not 
use in hunting any fowl or animals of any kind any ammunition or any 
firearm except as permitted by the provisions of the State Fish and Game Code, 
or, in the absence of [such] a provision 
related to firearms in [said] the 
code, except a shotgun being not larger than [ten] 10 
gauge, and capable of holding not more than two cartridges at one time, or that 
may be fired more than twice without reloading, or use a silencer on any 
firearm when hunting for game or fowl, under a penalty of $100 for each 
offense.

���� The division in its discretion 
may issue permits for the use of a rifle for shooting woodchucks only.� A 
person shall not use any missile larger than as permitted by the provisions of 
the State Fish and Game Code, or, in the absence of [such] a provision related to 
firearms in [said] the 
code, larger than number four shot in possession in the woods or fields at any 
time other than during the open season for killing deer, under a penalty of 
$100 for each offense.

���� A person shall not use in 
hunting any fowl or animal