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GOAL Action Alert
State Representative Anne Gobi, of Spencer, is preparing to send a joint legislator's letter to the Joint Committee on Public Safety in an attempt to expedite H.2400 "An Act Relative to Youth Hunting Programs." This bill was filed on behalf of GOAL by Rep. Gobi. The bill seeks to address a few of the hurdles that have been placed in front of our youth who are trying to enter into the hunting and shooting sports. A copy of the letter and the legislation can be found below.
What can you do to help? Please contact your state senator and representative and ask them to sign on to this letter. The deadline for signing on is 5:00 pm, Friday, April 1, 2011. Legislators can sign on to the letter by contacting Rep. Anne Gobi at 617-722-2210.
Please contact your local legislators today and help our youth take part in their precious American heritage.
Click here for legislature contact information.
Dear Chairman Timilty and Chairman Naughton,
We the undersigned urge the Joint Committee on Public Safety to favorably release H.2400 An Act Relative to Youth Hunting Programs as soon as can be accomplished. H.2400 seeks to remove some obstacles facing our youth who are seeking to participate in their outdoor heritage.
The first problem H.2400 seeks to fix is the age of application for a Firearm Identification Card (FID Card). Under the current laws of the Commonwealth, once a youth reaches the age of 15 they must have acquired an FID Card if they wish to hunt with a shotgun or rifle.
The problem with this law is that a person must be 15 years of age before they are eligible to apply for said card. Since the application process can take several weeks or months, many Commonwealth youngsters miss an entire hunting season waiting for the required FID Card. H.2400 would offer a solution to this problem by simply allowing persons to begin the application process once they reach the age of 14 years. The age for receiving the FID Card would still remain at 15, but the application process would be able to be completed prior to the required age.
The second hurdle facing youth hunters in Massachusetts is the exorbitant cost of applying for an FID Card. Under the current law the fee for such application is set at $100.00. This fee is simply too much to ask from our youngsters who are most likely trying to save for college. As a result, H.2400 seeks to remove the fees for an FID Card for anyone under the age of 18.
While we are all well aware that the state is having financial difficulties, we must look at the removal of these fees for young hunters as an investment in the future. Currently, nearly all of the funding for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife comes from the sale of hunting, fishing and trapping licenses. Millions of dollars in license fees and other funding sources supported by sportsmen directly fund this agency. In the last decade alone, Massachusetts sportsmen and women have provided approximately $100,000,000 to fund professional wildlife management. This is money that would have to come from our general fund to finance this agency's operations should we not take the opportunity to invest in those that will provide it willingly in the future?
Again, we urge the Joint Committee on Public Safety to favorably release H.2400 as soon as possible and help the Commonwealth invest in our youth and the future of professional wildlife management.
H.2400 An Act Relative to Youth Hunting Programs
SECTION 1. Section 129B of Chapter 140 shall be amended by deleting subparagraph (v) of paragraph (1) and inserting in its place the following: (v) is at the time of the application less than 14 years of age; providing said card shall not be issued until the applicant reaches the age of 15.
SECTION 2. Section 129B of Chapter 140 shall be amended by deleting in subparagraph (vi) of paragraph (1) the following: "at the time of the application more than 15 but"
SECTION 3. Section 129B of Chapter 140 shall be amended by deleting paragraph (10) and inserting in its place the following: (10) Any person under the age of 18 and 70 years of age or older shall be exempt from the requirement of paying a fee for a firearm identification card.
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