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March23, 2006
Volume 4, Issue 10
State Caucus Update
Kentucky Caucus Supports Bills to Feed Hungry, Preserve Wildlife Funds and Study Conservation Strategies
Louisiana Caucus Leads a Flurry of Prefiled Bills to Advance Sportsmen’s Agenda
Mississippi Governor Receives Youth Hunting Legislation and Signs Internet Hunting Ban
Idaho Legislature Passes Special Licensing Bills
Sportsman Voter Registration Measure Introduced in New York
Kentucky Caucus Supports Bills to Feed Hungry, Preserve Wildlife Funds and Study Conservation Strategies
The Kentucky Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus has been busy promoting various pro-sporting bills in recent weeks. S.148, introduced by Senator Richard Sanders (R-Franklin) and passed by the legislature last week, allows county clerks to request a $2 donation for hunger relief from each applicant of a motor vehicle license. The donation will be sent to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to be used in support of hunger relief programs such as Hunters Feeding the Hungry. The bill that now awaits Governor Ernie Fletcher’s signature sets aside $25,000 of the funds for the Department of Fish and Wildlife to promote hunter hunger relief programs.
Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Representative Robin Webb (D-Grayson) said, “The Kentucky Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus believed it was important to find an additional funding source to support our hunters feeding the hungry program. Therefore, we got behind this bill and went in a different direction so that we could get the transportation committee involved and have a more well-rounded representation, so that anyone who drives in this state has the option of helping the program with a $2 donation.”
In addition, the Senate passed S.120, introduced by Caucus Co-Chair Senator Robert Stivers (R-Manchester), to protect wildlife funding by deleting the game and fish fund statute from the list of funds that may be transferred in a budget bill to the general fund. The measure has also been approved by the House Committee on Appropriations and Revenue and now heads to the House floor for a vote. Representative Webb also introduced HCR 120 to create a Land Stewardship and Conservation Taskforce that will study strategies for the protection of natural areas, farmlands, habitats, and forests. The bill has been approved by the legislature and awaits the Governor’s signature. Governor Fletcher was a member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus when he served as a Representative in the U.S. Congress.Louisiana Caucus Leads a Flurry of Prefiled Bills to Advance Sportsmen’s Agenda
Legislators in Louisiana have been busy preparing for the legislative session set to open Monday by prefiling several bills on behalf of sportsmen. Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Senator Joe McPherson (D-Woodworth) has been actively promoting NASC model legislation in the Pelican State.
n addition to S.30, “No Net Loss” of hunting lands legislation, Senator McPherson has introduced S.148 to allow residents the opportunity to register to vote when purchasing a hunting or fishing license. S.171 will outlaw remote hunting via the internet and S.149 classifies spotted sea trout and red drum as game fish. The Caucus leader is also promoting S.329 that would create a hunter education deferral license allowing anyone 16 or older to hunt with a licensed hunter of at least 18. The cost of the license is $10 and is valid for one month from the date of purchase. For more details on Louisiana prefiled legislation, click here.
Mississippi Governor Receives Youth Hunting Legislation and Signs Internet Hunting Ban
The Mississippi Sportsmen’s Caucus led the effort in passing legislation to remove barriers and allow more youth hunters in the field. HB 698, introduced by Caucus Co-Chair Representative Eric Robinson (R-Quitman) and passed by the legislature, allows children 12 to 16 to hunt under direct supervision of a licensed hunter without having a certificate of hunter education. The bill also creates an apprentice hunting license, which allows someone who hasn’t passed hunter education to hunt with a licensed hunter 21 years or older. The measure was sent to Governor Haley Barbour’s desk and is expected to be signed on Friday.
ast week Governor Barbour signed S.2041, the legislation from Caucus Co-Chair Senator Lynn Posey (D-Union Church) to ban remote hunting via the internet.
Idaho Legislature Passes Special Licensing Bills
Idaho sportsmen caucus legislators sent three bills to Governor Dirk Kempthorne to make it easier to issue special hunting and fishing licenses. S.1258 allows permits to be issued to a state long term care facility so that residents are not required to obtain individual hunting, fishing, & trapping permits. With the passage of S.1385, proof of disability for hunting or fishing licenses must only be shown once, requiring the state to maintain records instead of the individual. Finally, the Governor received S.1391 which allows children with life threatening medical conditions to participate in specific hunts without a license and provides for the issuance of free permits or tags for them. A friend of hunters and anglers, Gov. Kempthorne was a member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus when he served as a Senator in the U.S. Congress. He was also recently nominated to become the Department of Interior Secretary, replacing Gale Norton who announced her resignation.
Sportsman Voter Registration Measure Introduced in New York
On Tuesday, NASC model legislation, A 10374 was introduced by Assemblyman William Barclay (R-Fulton) in New York to allow residents purchasing hunting and fishing licenses to register to vote. The bill is now in the Assembly Committee on Election Law.
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