Tracking The Capitols
Tracking the Capitols is a weekly source of legislation currently being tracked by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation state policy team to keep you informed of the most pertinent and timely state legislation affecting hunting, recreational fishing and shooting and trapping and other conservation issues. Inclusion in Tracking the Capitols does not necessarily constitute support or opposition to legislation by CSF and/or the CSF States Program. The bills noted in this email represent only a fraction of the legislation that CSF's States Program is monitoring on a day-to-day basis.

Please visit our website for day-to-day updates by CSF's State Program Team on important sportsmen's legislation. To view past bills, please visit the Tracking the Capitols Archive under the Media Room tab on the CSF website.

Note: In bold are sponsors who are members of their respective Sportsmen's Legislative Caucus.
 
NASC

Working with  
State Legislators
Updates For The Week of  

April 1, 2013    

 
California S 53
Intro Date:
12/20/2012
Sponsor: Senator Kevin de Leon
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Requires the Attorney General to maintain copies of ammunition purchase permits, information about ammunition transactions and ammunition vendor licenses. Requires vendors to submit information about transactions and to be licensed. Requires purchaser verification of identity. Requires a report on the feasibility of an instantaneous background check system. Expands the Prohibited Armed Persons File to address persons prohibited from acquiring ammunition and to cross-reference with ammunition transactions.
Status:
In Senate. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Committee on Public Safety on April 1.

California A 48
Intro Date: 12/20/2012
Sponsor:  Assemblymember Nancy Skinner
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine, imprisonment in a county jail, or by both, to knowingly manufacture, import, keep for sale, offer or expose for sale, or give or lend any device that is capable of converting an ammunition feeding device into a large-capacity magazine. Relates to a readily restorable disassembled large-capacity magazine. Relates to an ammunition feeding device. Exempts an individual who sells, transfers, or furnishes ammunition to certain specified law enforcement individuals.
Status: From Assembly Committee on Public Safety on April 2; Do pass as amended to Committee on Appropriations.

California A 1213
Intro Date:
02/22/2013 
Sponsor: Assemblymember Richard Bloom
Issue Brief: Animal Traps
Summary: Enacts the Bobcat Protection Act of 2013. Adds bobcat to the list of fur-bearing mammals. Makes it unlawful to trap any bobcat, or attempt to do so, sell or export any bobcat or any part thereof taken in the state, or to receive, transport, or possess any bobcat or any part or product thereof taken in violation of these provisions or regulations adopted by the Fish and Game Commission. Provides an exception.
Status: In Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife on April 2: Not heard.

California A 187

Intro Date: 01/28/2013
Sponsor: Assemblymember Bob Bonta
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Imposes a tax on retailers for the privilege of selling ammunition in the state and on ammunition purchased from the retailer in the state. Requires the revenues from those taxes to be deposited in the Public Safety Emergency Prevention Fund which will be create by this legislation with the moneys from the fund to be used to fund public safety programs in high crime municipalities.
Status: Withdrawn from Assembly Committee on Public Safety. Re-referred to Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation on April 1.

Intro Date: 03/26/2013

Sponsor: Representative Randolph Fischer  

Issue Brief: Conservation Funding   

Summary: Concerns the species conservation trust fund.  

Status: From House Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources. Reported favorably. To House Committee on Appropriations on April 1.   

Connecticut S 1020

Intro Date: 02/28/13

Sponsor: Joint Committee on Environment  

Issue Brief: Wildlife Violators Compact

Summary: Concerns the interstate wildlife violator compact; enacts the Wildlife Violator Compact and repeal the Northeast Conservation Law Enforcement Compact that is no longer required.

Status: To Joint Committee on Judiciary on April 3.

 

Connecticut H 6654  

Intro Date: 03/14/2013

Sponsor: Joint Committee on Environment 

Issue Brief: General 

Summary: Concerns sportsmen related revisions to the general statutes; authorizes the establishment of a bear hunting season by lottery, require the licensure of hunting and fishing guides, authorize the award of food vending services in state parks and forests to the highest responsible bidder and reduce hunting, trapping and fishing fees for youths and persons under the age of twenty-one.  

Status: Filed with Legislative Commissioner's Office on March 28.

Florida S 212
Intro Date: 03/05/13
Sponsor: Senator Alan Hays
Issue Brief: Conservation Funding
Summary: Relates to Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Trust Funds; provides that the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission may return certain cash balances transferred for cash flow needs when they are no longer needed for that purpose; deletes a restriction on an expenditure from the Lifetime Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund; renames the Fish and Wildlife Habitat Program as the Land Acquisition Trust Fund; provides for the administration and funding of the save the Manatee Trust Fund.
Status: To enrollment on April 2.

Georgia H 155
Intro Date:
01/30/2013
Sponsor: Representative David Knight, Co-Chair, Georgia Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Relates to game and fish; provides for the use of suppressors on hunting firearms; provides for suspension of hunting privileges on certain lands; revises provisions concerning the licensing and operation of shooting preserves; revises the definition of "pen raised game birds"; changes licensing requirements for shooting preserves; creates a lifetime shooting preserve license; grants registered boat owners a three-day hunting and fishing license as part of the registration fee.
Status: Eligible for Governor's desk on March 28.

Georgia H 207

Intro Date: 02/05/2013
Sponsor: Representative Jason Shaw
Issue Brief: Youth Hunting
Summary: Relates to licenses, permits, and stamps for hunting, trapping, or fishing; provides a definition, authorizes issuance of a special turkey-hunting permit for young and mobility impaired hunters; relates to seasons and bag limits for wildlife; provides for an extended turkey season for young and mobility impaired hunters.
Status: Eligible for Governor's desk on March 28.

Intro Date: 03/11/2013
Sponsor: House State Affairs Committee
Issue Brief: Conservation Funding
Summary: Amends existing law relating to fish and game to provide that certain moneys shall be earmarked for sportsmen access programs; revises provisions relating to the transfer and use of certain moneys from the Expendable Big Game Depredation Fund.
Status: To Governor on April 1. 

Louisiana S 84
Intro Date:
03/26/2013
Sponsor: Senator Neil Riser, Member, Louisiana Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Game Meat Donation
Summary: Authorizes a checkoff for a donation to Hunters for the Hungry when purchasing a fishing or hunting license.
Status: To Senate Committee on Natural Resources on March 26.

Maine H 904
Intro Date:
03/27/2013
Sponsor: Representative Paul Davis
Issue Brief: American System of Conservation Funding
Summary: Requires the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to ensure that revenue raised by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is not diverted to any purpose other than administration of the department in accordance with the Constitution of Maine.
Status: Senate refers to Joint Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife  in concurrence on March 28.

Maine LR 1639
Intro Date: 01/28/2013
Sponsor: Representative Kenneth Fredette
Issue Brief: Right to Hunt/Fish
Summary:(Resolution)Proposing an amendment to the constitution of Maine to establish the right to hunt and fish.
Status: Assigned House Paper number 930 and LD 1303 on April 2.
 

Maryland S 2 

Intro Date: 01/09/2013

Sponsor: Senator Richard Colburn, Member, Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

Issue Brief: Sunday Hunting

Summary: Authorizes a person to hunt turkey on public land on any Sunday during the spring turkey hunting season in Dorchester County; makes the Act an emergency measure.

Status: From House Committee on Environmental Matters: Reported favorably. Committee Report adopted on House floor. Second reading passed. To third reading on April 1.   

 

Mississippi H 1216 

Intro Date: 01/21/2013  

Sponsor: Representative Casey Eure 

Issue Brief: American System of Conservation Funding  

Summary: Provides the state assent to federal aid legislation to ensure the conservation of marine resources; provides that revenue from marine fishing license sales shall be under the exclusive control of the Commission on Marine Resources for the sole use of the management of the state's fish and marine resources; for related purposes.  

Status: Conference Committee Report adopted by House on April 1.  

  

Intro Date: 01/21/2013
Sponsor: Representative Scott Bounds, Co-Chair, Mississippi Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Trapping
Summary: Exempts the licensure requirement for certain individuals who trap on certain private lands; prohibits the use of certain trapping devices on public lands, unless exceptions are granted therefor; authorizes the use of certain trapping devices by designated legal authority of public lands or its agent for nuisance control; requires trapping devices to have a department issued identification number on a metal tag.
Status: Conference Committee Report adopted by Senate on April 2.

 

Intro Date: 01/10/2013
Sponsor: Senator Kendall Van Dyk
Issue Briefs: Game Meat Donation
Summary: Provides for hunters against hunger.
Status: Signed by Governor on March 22.  
  

New Hampshire S 89

Intro Date: 01/03/2013

Sponsor: Senator Jeanie Forrester

Issue Brief: Lead Sinker Ban 

Summary: Clarifies the definition of lead fishing sinkers and jigs which are subject to the prohibition on sale and use in the state.

Status: To House Committee on Fish and Game and Marine Resources on March 27.   

 

New Hampshire S 133 

Intro Date: 01/3/2013

Sponsor: Senator Jeff Woodburn, Co-Chair, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

Issue Brief: Wildlife Violators Compact

Summary: Adopts the interstate wildlife violators compact in New Hampshire, joining other member states.

Status: To House Committee on Fish and Game and Marine Resources on March 27.

North Dakota H 1195

Intro Date: 01/14/2013

Sponsor: Representative Todd Porter   

Issue Brief: General    

Summary: Relates to carrying a game and fish license. 

Status: To Governor on April 1.  

Pennsylvania S 773
Intro Date: 03/27/2013
Sponsor: Senator Jim Brewster, Member, Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Conservation Funding
Summary: Amends Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in registration of vehicles, providing for Pennsylvania hunting heritage plates.
Status: To Senate Committee on Transportation on March 27.

Pennsylvania H 357
Intro Date:
01/25/2013
Sponsor:
Representative Daryl Metcalfe
Issue Brief:
Guns
Summary:
Provides that any Federal law which attempts to register, restrict or ban a firearm or to limit the size of a magazine of a firearm in this Commonwealth shall be unenforceable in this Commonwealth; imposes penalties.
Status:
To House Committee on Judiciary on January 25.   

Rhode Island H 5764
Intro Date: 03/28/2013
Sponsor: Representative Patricia Serpa
Issue Brief: Wildlife Violators Compact
Summary: Would adopt the wildlife violation compact act which recognizes violations of hunting, trapping and fishing laws occurring in other states as violations in a person's home state. This act would take effect upon passage.
Status: Transferred to House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources on March 29.

Virginia H 2254
Intro Date: 01/15/2013
Sponsor: Representative Edward Scott
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Relates to management of the menhaden fishery; establishes a total allowable landings of specified metric tons per year for Atlantic menhaden landed in the state by the purse seine menhaden reduction sector, the purse seine menhaden bait sector, and the non-purse seine menhaden bait sector; authorizes the Commission to establish and administer a limited entry purse seine menhaden bait license according to specific criteria.
Status: Senate accepts Governor's recommended amendments on April 3.
SCISCI is a proud partner of CSF and
sponsors in part TRACKING THE CAPITOLS

Working with Congress, Governors and State Legislatures to protect and advance hunting, recreational shooting, fishing and trapping.

 

 

For more information on the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation go to www.SportsmensLink.org

 

For additional information on legislation included in this report please contact the appropriate representative

 

Southeastern States Director Jennifer Lundy, at 321.253.0016, or email [email protected]

 

Midwestern States Director Chris Horton, at 501.865.1475, or email [email protected]

 

Northeastern States Manager Brent Miller, at 202.543.6850 x 13, or email [email protected]

 

Western States Manager Andy Treharne, at 202.543.6850 x 19, or email [email protected]