HB6864, the “Snowmobiles Aren’t Weapons Act” or “SAW Act,” would make it a federal offense to intentionally use a motor vehicle to harass, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect a mammalian predator species on federal land. The bill applies broadly to motor vehicles, defined to include self-propelled vehicles and vehicles operated on highways, railroads, ground, water, or air, and it excludes tribal trust lands from the definition of federal land. A person who violates the prohibition could be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned for up to 5 years, or both.
The bill also directs the Secretary of the Interior, or an authorized designee, to investigate suspected violations and permits coordination with the FBI, Treasury Department, and other federal agencies, as well as state and local law enforcement. It creates a narrow exception where the prohibited conduct was necessary to avoid injury or death to the person or another person. The bill leaves the term “mammalian predator” to be defined by the Secretary of the Interior, which gives the executive branch discretion over the scope of the species covered.
If enacted, the bill would add a new federal criminal prohibition affecting conduct on federal lands and would expand federal enforcement authority over wildlife-related offenses involving vehicles. It would not directly amend state criminal codes, but it could affect hunters, wildlife control activities, off-road vehicle users, and others operating on federal land. The measure also would require federal agencies to investigate and potentially coordinate with state and local authorities, while excluding tribal trust lands from coverage.
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as a wildlife-protection and public-safety bill, with bipartisan sponsorship suggesting some cross-party support. No committee transcript or vote record is available here, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to indicate broader support or opposition. The overall tone of the proposal is regulatory and punitive, aimed at preventing the use of vehicles as tools for intentional wildlife harm on federal land.
The main potential points of contention are the breadth of the motor-vehicle definition, the criminal penalties, and the Secretary of the Interior’s discretion to define “mammalian predator.” Critics could question whether the bill is overbroad or whether it could sweep in legitimate land-use, hunting-adjacent, or emergency conduct, while supporters are likely to emphasize the narrow self-defense/necessity exception and the need to deter abusive conduct on public lands. The exclusion of tribal trust lands may also be relevant to stakeholders concerned about jurisdiction and land management.