Tracking the Capitols is a 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, angling, recreational 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.
 


Working with  
State Legislators
Updates For the Week of  

December 15, 2014     

Prefiled: 12/10/2014
Sponsor: Senator Robin Webb, National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses Executive Council President
Issue Brief: General
SummaryRelates to the obstruction of the lawful taking of wildlife; prohibits the use of a drone to disrupt lawful hunting, trapping, or fishing; defines drone.
Status: Prefiled on December 10

Introduced: 02/19/2014
Sponsor: Senator Howard Walker, Member, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Enforcement, General License
SummaryProvides for suspension of hunting, fishing, or trapping rights under certain circumstances.
Status: In House. Read second time and amended. To third reading on December 16

Introduced: 05/06/2014
Sponsor: Senator Tom Casperson, Member, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
SummaryProhibits use of drones to interfere with or harass another individual who is hunting.
Status: Passed House. To Senate for concurrence on December 16

Introduced: 01/21/2014
Sponsor: Representative Ed McBroom
Issue Brief: General
SummaryExpands issuance of crop damage animal depredation permits to include bears which cause damage to emerging, standing, or harvested crops or to properly stored feed.
Status: Passed Senate. To House for concurrence on December 15

Introduced: 12/04/2014
Sponsor: Representative Andrea LaFontaine, Member, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Conservation Funding
SummaryModifies Michigan natural resources trust fund and Michigan parks and recreation endowment fund.
Status: To House Committee on Natural Resources on December 4

Introduced: 01/24/2013
Sponsor: Senator Tom Casperson, Member, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
SummaryProhibits the designation of biodiversity areas by the DNR; removes biological diversity from the list of state forest management goals; provides for natural areas, wild areas, wilderness areas and conservation of biological diversity while ensuring accessibility, productivity and use of the natural resources; broadens the implementation of sustainable forestry; protects water quality in water bodies.
Status: In House. Read second time. To third reading on December 16

Introduced: 01/30/2013
Sponsor: Senator Mike Green, Co-Chair, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentive
SummaryExempts conservation easements of property that was conveyed under a will or trust or by intestate succession that meets specified criteria, but not buildings or structures located on the land.
Status: To Senate for concurrence on December 4

Introduced: 06/11/2014
Sponsor: Senator Dave Hildenbrand, Member, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Guns
SummaryAmends 1990 PA 319, entitled an act to prohibit local units of government from imposing certain restrictions on the ownership, registration, purchase, sale, transfer, transportation, or possession of pistols or other firearms, ammunition for pistols or other firearms, or components of pistols or other firearms; provides for the regulation and use of pneumatic guns.
Status: Ordered Enrolled on December 16

Prefiled: 12/03/2014
Sponsor: Representative Craig Redmond, Member, Missouri Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Conservation Sales Tax
SummaryProposes a constitutional provision repealing the Conservation sales and use tax.
Status: Prefiled on December 3

Prefiled: 12/01/2014
Sponsor: Senator Brian Munzlinger, Member, Missouri Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General License
SummaryProvides that the Department of Conservation and its permit issuing agents shall not charge a permit fee for a hunting, fishing, or trapping permit except for a service fee, a customer convenience fee, or a replacement fee.
Status: Prefiled on December 1

Prefiled: 12/01/2014
Sponsor: Senator Brian Munzlinger, Member, Missouri Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief:General
SummaryProposes an amendment to the Constitution to increase the membership of the Conservation Commission to be appointed from each of the Commission's conservation regions.
Status: Prefiled on December 1

Prefiled: 12/05/2014
Sponsor: Representative Kirk B. Wagoner
Issue Brief: General
SummaryRevises laws regarding the use of suppressed firearms for varmint hunting; relates to fish and wildlife; relates to guns and weapons.
Status: draft to requester for review on December 16

Prefiled: 11/13/2014
Sponsor: Representative Alan Redfield 
Issue Brief: Access Private Lands, Enforcement, General
SummaryRevises laws related to hunter trespass; relates to fish and wildlife; relates to property; relates to torts.
Status: Draft in final draft review on December 16

Prefiled: 11/11/2014
Sponsor: Representative Mike Miller
Issue Brief: General, High Fence
SummaryRevises laws related to cow elk tags and landowners; relates to fish and wildlife.
Status: Draft back for requester changes on December 16

Prefiled: 9/16/2014
Issue Brief: General
SummaryProhibits dissemination of the names of hunters and trappers.
Status: Draft died in process on December 15

Prefiled: 9/16/2014
Issue Brief: General License
SummaryRevises laws related to hunting and fishing licenses; relates to fish and wildlife.
Status: Assigned House Bill No.140 on December 15

Prefiled: 12/05/2014
Sponsor: Representative Kelly Flynn
Issue Brief: General
SummaryRevises distribution of block management funding; relates to fish and wildlife.
Status: Draft to requester for review on December 13

Prefiled: 12/05/2014
Sponsor: Representative Forrest Mandeville
Issue Brief: Crossbows
SummaryAllows cross-bows to be used for hunting during archery season; relates to fish and wildlife.
Status: Draft in Assembly/Executive Director review on December 15

Prefiled: 12/12/2014
Sponsor: Representative Moffie Funk
Issue Brief: General
SummaryCreates a fish and wildlife enterprise fund; relates to fish and wildlife; relates to state finance.
Status: Filed as Draft 384 on December 12

Prefiled: 12/08/2014
Sponsor: Senator Pete Goicoechea, Member, Nevada Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General 
SummaryMakes various changes relating to wildlife.
Status: Filed on December 8

Prefiled: 12/08/2014
Sponsor: Senator Pete Goicoechea, Member, Nevada Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Enforcement, General
SummaryConverts the Department of Wildlife into the Division of Wildlife of the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Status: Filed on December 8

Prefiled: 12/08/2014
Sponsor:Senator Scott Hammond, Co-Chair, Nevada Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General, Hunter Ed.
SummaryCreates a Sportsmen's Education Fund.
Status: Filed on December 8

 

New Hampshire LSR 627

Prefiled: 12/10/2014

Sponsor: Representative John A. Burt

Issue Brief: General

SummaryRepeals the prohibition on the use of silencing devices for taking wildlife.

Status: Filed on December 10

 

New Hampshire LSR 746

Prefiled: 12/10/2014

Sponsor: Representative David H. Kidder, Member, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

Issue Brief: General, General License

Summary: Relates to fish and game fees

Status: Filed on December 10

 

New Jersey S 2567

Introduced: 12/01/2014

Sponsor: Senator Stephen Sweeney, Member, New Jersey Angling and Hunting Conservation Caucus

Issue Brief: General License

SummaryCreates the Fishing Buddy License.

Status: Corrected Reprint issued on December 4

 

New Jersey A 394

Introduced: 01/16/2014

Sponsor: Assembly Member Anthony M. Bucco, Member, New Jersey Angling and Hunting Conservation Caucus

Issue Brief: Sunday Hunting

SummaryAuthorizes Sunday bow hunting on federal military installations.

Status: From Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources as amended on December 11


New Jersey ACR 210

Introduced: 12/04/2014

SponsorAssembly Member Bob Andrzejczak 

Issue Brief: Right to Hunt and Fish

SummaryProposes constitutional amendment to preserve right of people to fish, hunt, trap and harvest fish and wildlife.

Status: To Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on December 4


New York A 1627

Introduced: 01/19/2013

Sponsor: Assembly Member Aileen M. Gunther, Co-Chair, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

Issue Brief: Conservation Funding

SummaryDirects the commissioner of environmental conservation to create gift cards for hunting and fishing licenses; includes bowhunting and muzzle-loading privileges.

Status: To Governor on December 5
 

Ohio H 234

Introduced: 07/17/2013

Sponsor: Representative Cheryl Grossman, Member, Ohio Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

Issue Brief: General, Sound Suppressors

SummaryProvides for concealed handgun reciprocity agreements with other states; provides that concealed handgun licenses issued in another state that has not entered into a reciprocity agreement shall be recognized in the state and accepted as valid; sets forth requirements for the Attorney General; relates to the use of suppressors while hunting, compliance with the national instant criminal background check system, peace officers and members of the armed forces.

Status: House concurred in Senate amendments on December 10. To Governor for signature.

 

Oregon D 400

Prefiled: 12/10/2014

Sponsor: House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee

Issue Brief: Right to Hunt and Fish

SummaryProposes amendment to Oregon Constitution establishing right to hunt, to fish, to trap and to harvest wildlife, and to use traditional methods to hunt, fish, trap and harvest wildlife.

Status: Filed on December 10

 

Oregon D 1162

Prefiled: 12/08/2014

Sponsor: House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee

Issue Brief: Enforcement, General

SummaryRelating to county elections concerning methods of taking wildlife; and providing for criminal sentence reduction that requires approval by a two-thirds majority.

Status: Filed on December 8

 

Oregon D 1254

Prefiled: 12/11/2014

Sponsor: Senate Committee on Business and Transportation

Issue Brief: Guns

SummaryProvides honorably retired law enforcement officers with protections provided to Oregon concealed handgun license holders.

Status: Filed on December 11

 

Oregon D 1435

Prefiled: 12/10/2014

Sponsor: House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee

Issue Brief: General

SummaryRequires State Department of Fish and Wildlife to study developing predator management plan for State of Oregon and to report to interim committees of Legislative Assembly on or before September 15, 2016.

Status: Filed on December 10

 

Oregon D 1588

Prefiled: 12/11/2014

Sponsor: Senate Committee on Business and Transportation

Issue Brief: Guns

SummaryAdds justice court and municipal court to definition of court facility in which firearms and other weapons are prohibited except in specified circumstances.

Status: Filed on December 11


 

Oregon D 1674

Prefiled: 12/08/2014

Sponsor: House Revenue Committee

Issue Brief: General

SummaryCreates and adjusts sunset dates for certain exemptions from property taxation.

Status: Filed on December 8

 

Oregon D 2217

Prefiled: 12/09/2014

Sponsor: House Rules Committee

Issue Brief: Ethics/Lobbying

SummaryRemoves sunset on lobbyist exemption from reporting to Oregon Government Ethics Commission moneys spent on lobbying other registered lobbyists.

Status: Filed on December 9
 

South Carolina H 3033

Prefiled: 12/11/2014

Sponsor: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter

Issue Brief: Ammunition, NICS, Sound Suppressors

SummaryRequires a national instant criminal background check before any sale, exchange, or transfer of a firearm in the state and to provide procedures for the background checks; requires national instant criminal background checks at gun shows and to provide procedures for the background checks; exempts records kept from disclosure as a public record under the freedom of information act and to provide a penalty for a violation of the article.

Status: To House Committee on Judiciary on December 11

 

South Carolina H 3115

Prefiled: 12/11/2014

Sponsor: Representative Mike Pitts, National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucus Past President

Issue Brief: Guns

SummaryRelates to the regulation of the ownership, transfer, or possession of firearms or ammunition; provides that no governing body of any county, municipality, or other political subdivision in the state may enact, enforce, or promulgate any regulation or ordinance that regulates or attempts to regulate the transfer, ownership, possession, carrying, or transportation of knives, firearms, ammunition, components of firearms, or any combination of these things.

Status: To House Committee on Judiciary on December 11

 

South Carolina H 3118

Prefiled: 12/11/2014

Sponsor: Representative Mike Pitts, National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucus Past President

Issue Brief: Crossbows, General

SummaryAuthorizes the Department of Natural Resources to promulgate regulations governing certain areas to establish seasons, dates, areas, bag limits, and other restrictions for hunting and taking wild turkey; establishes male wild turkey hunting season as March 20 through May 5; declares the Saturday preceding March 20 of each year to be South Carolina youth turkey hunting day and provide a procedure for youth turkey hunting on this day; provides a wild turkey bag limit.

Status: To House Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs on December 11

 

South Carolina S 57

Prefiled: 12/03/2014

Sponsor: Senator George Campsen, Member, South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

Issue Brief: Anti, General

SummaryProvides the Department of Natural Resources the authority to promulgate regulations governing certain areas to establish seasons, dates, areas, bag limits, and other restrictions for hunting and taking wild turkey; relates to the Department of Natural Resources' regulation of the hunting of wild turkeys; revises the season for the hunting and taking of male wild turkeys; establishes South Carolina youth turkey hunting day; establishes bag limits for the taking of male wild turkeys.

Status: To Senate Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry on December 3

 

South Carolina S 158

Prefiled: 12/03/2014

Sponsor: Senator Katrina Shealy

Issue Brief: General, General License

SummaryRelates to the exemptions of certain activities from the Animal Fighting and Baiting Act; deletes the exemption of bear-baying; relates to bear hunting and unlawful acts in regard to bears including a provision that it is unlawful to possess a captive bear except by permit issued by the Department of Natural resources.

Status: To Senate Committee on Judiciary on December 3

 

Texas S 228

Prefiled: 12/05/2014

Sponsor: Senator Brandon Creighton

Issue Brief: Outdoor Sporting Goods Tax Holiday

SummaryRelates to an exemption from the sales tax for firearms and hunting supplies for a limited period.

Status: Prefiled on December 5
 

Washington H 1000

Prefiled: 12/05/2014

Sponsor: Representative Brian Blake

Issue Brief: Enforcement, General

SummaryConcerns water rights appurtenant to land managed by the department of fish and wildlife.

Status: Prefiled on December 5

 

Washington H 1018

Prefiled: 12/08/2014

Sponsor: Representative Sherry Appleton

Issue Brief: Dog Tethering

Summary: Prevents breed-based dog regulations

Status: Prefiled on December 8

 

Washington H 1032

Prefiled: 12/08/2014

Sponsor: Representative Brian Blake

Issue Brief: General

SummaryAmends the fee structure to encourage habitat projects that provide a public benefit.

Status: Prefiled on December 8

 

Washington H 1033

Prefiled: 12/08/2014

Sponsor: Representative Brian Blake

Issue Brief: Access Private Lands

SummaryProvides tools for the department of fish and wildlife to use in order to promote access to private lands for hunting.

Status: Prefiled on December 8

 

Wyoming S 6 

Prefiled: 12/11/2014

Sponsor: Senator Bruce Burns

Issue Brief: Invasive Species

SummaryRelates to aquatic invasive species; amends rulemaking authority; amends requirements for collection and evidence of inspection fees; provides for an effective date.

Status: Prefiled on December 11

 

Wyoming S 7

Prefiled: 12/11/2014

Sponsor: Senator Gerald Geis

Issue Brief: Dog Tethering

SummaryRelates to crimes and offenses; creates a new provision relating to the unlawful tethering of dogs; provides that certain requirements must be met in order for an owner to lawfully tether a dog; provides for an effective date.

Status: Prefiled on December 11

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 Manager Bee Frederick, at 334.593.6988, or email [email protected]

 

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

 

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

 

Western States Manager Andy Treharne, at 303.789.7589, or email [email protected]