Connecticut H 6047

Introduced: 01/22/2015

Sponsor: Representative William Tong

Issue Brief: Hatcheries

Summary: Provides funding for state fish hatcheries; creates a task force; relates to the Recreational Fisheries Trust to promote and enhance the funding of the state's fish hatcheries and the state's recreational fisheries programs; establishes that the trust shall receive and hold all payments and deposits or contributions intended for the trust, including gifts, donations, bequests, endowments or federal, state or local grants and any other funds from any public or private source and all earnings until disbursed.

Status: Reported out of Legislation Commissioner's Office on May 19   

 

Maine H 214

Introduced: 02/06/2015

Sponsor: Representative Russell Black, Member, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

Issue Brief: Bear Hunting; Hunting Dogs  

Summary: Allows a person licensed to guide hunters to use one leashed dog outside of legal hunting hours to track and dispatch a bear wounded by the guide's client.

Status: Became law (Public Law No. 90) without Governor's signature on May 19                  

 

Maine H 265

Introduced: 02/11/2015

Sponsor: Representative Stephen Wood, Co-Chair, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus  

Issue Brief: Recruitment; Bear Hunting

Summary: Requires the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to establish by rule a youth bear hunting day on the Saturday prior to the opening of bear hunting season.

Status: Signed by Governor (Public Law No. 79) on May 15             

 

Maine H 291

Introduced: 02/11/2015

Sponsor: Representative Stephen Wood, Co-Chair, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

Issue Brief: General

Summary: This bill allows a person to use a firearm fitted or contrived with a device for deadening the sound of explosion to kill wild animals or wild turkeys that are damaging crops, orchards or property or harming domestic animals.

Status: In Senate: Placed in Legislative Filed (Dead) on May 20

 

Maine H 449

Introduced: 02/27/2015

Sponsor: Representative Robert Duchesne  

Issue Brief: General

Summary: This bill directs the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to establish a comprehensive marketing program for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife that is led and coordinated by a dedicated marketing specialist, whose position is required to be created within the department's Division of Public Information and Education.

Status: Work Session held on May 19

 

Maine H 550

Introduced: 03/06/2015

Sponsor: Representative Dillon Bates    

Issue Brief: Hunting Dogs; Bear Hunting     

Summary: Prohibits a person from hunting bear with the use of dogs. The bill also makes a violation of that prohibition a Class D crime and a Class C crime for a 3rd or subsequent offense. It provides an exemption for the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to hunt bear with the use of dogs for public safety or research purposes.

Status: Work Session held on May 19

 

Maine H 606

Introduced: 03/11/2015

Sponsor: Representative Denise Harlow     

Issue Brief: Animal Traps; Hunting Dogs; Bear Hunting     

Summary: Prohibits hunting bear using dogs and trapping bear.

Status: Work Session held on May 19

 

Maine H 844

Introduced: 04/02/2015

Sponsor:  Representative Michael Shaw, Member, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

Issue Brief: General License      

Summary: This bill expands the current resident hunting license and nonresident hunting license to encompass and replace all other hunting licenses and hunting permits except the: 1. Junior hunting license; 2. Resident and nonresident apprentice hunting licenses; 3. Antlerless deer and special deer season permits; 4. Moose permit; 5. Pheasant permit; 6. Waterfowl permit; 7. Falconry permit; and 8. Migratory bird permit. It increases the fee for a resident and a nonresident hunting license from $25 to $38 and ...

Status: Work Session held on May 19

 

Maine S 313

Introduced: 03/11/2015

Sponsor:  Senator Paul Davis, Member, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

Issue Brief: Guns

Summary: Current law authorizes the Chief of the State Police to grant reciprocity to a permit to carry a concealed handgun issued from another state if the other state has substantially equivalent or stricter requirements for the issuance of a permit and the other state observes the same rules of reciprocity regarding a person issued a permit under Maine law. This bill removes the authority of the Chief of the State Police to enter into reciprocity agreements and eliminates the required equivalency provisio

Status: In Senate: Passed to be engrossed on May 19

 

Maine S 444

Introduced: 04/06/2015

Sponsor:  Senator Thomas Saviello, Co-Chair, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

Issue Brief: Hunting Dogs

Summary: Allows a person to train and use dogs to hunt coyotes.

Status: In Senate: Passed in Legislative File (Dead) on May 20  

 

New Hampshire H 212

Introduced: 01/08/2015

Sponsor: Representative Marge Shepardson

Issue Brief: Enforcement

Summary: Requires that the minimum period of revocation of a license issued by the Fish and Game Department for a person convicted of a felony while hunting, trapping, or fishing is five years; allows the executive director to revoke the license, for a period of not less than five years, of any person convicted of aggravated felonious sexual assault, felonious sexual assault, or sexual assault, except for sexual assault which occurred while the person was engaged in hunting, trapping, or fishing.

Status: Passed Senate. To House for concurrence on May 14          

 

New Hampshire H 336

Introduced: 01/08/2015

Sponsor: Representative James Webb, Member, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

Issue Brief: Crossbows

Summary: Allows the executive director of Fish and Game to adopt rules for taking black bear by crossbow and for taking game animals and game birds during the regular firearms season for the species.

Status: Enrolled Bill Amendment on May 19           

 

New Jersey S 1683

Introduced: 03/17/2015

Sponsor: Senator Steve Oroho, Co-Chair, New Jersey Angling and Hunting Conservation Caucus  

Issue Brief: Apprentice Fishing License  

Summary: Authorizes Sunday bow hunting on federal military installations and the William J. Hughes Technical Center; requires approval.

Status: Passed Senate. To Assembly on May 18           

 

New Jersey S 2567

Introduced: 12/01/2014

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

Issue Brief: Apprentice Fishing License  

Summary: Creates the Fishing Buddy License; concerns all around sportsman and fishing licenses; provides for the licensure of applicants for a combined license at a specified fee for the two persons for both licenses.

Status: Passed Senate. To Assembly on May 18           

 

New York A 6108

Introduced: 03/16/2015

Sponsor: Assembly Member Addie Russell, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus  

Issue Brief: Angling Access; General  

Summary: Extends effectiveness of provisions authorizing angling by a single individual with up to three lines in freshwater.

Status: To Assembly Committee on Codes on May 19 

 

New York A 7467

Introduced: 05/12/2015

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

Issue Brief: General License

Summary: Directs the commissioner of environmental conservation to create gift cards for hunting and fishing licenses.

Status: To Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation on May 12

 

New York A 7584

Introduced: 05/19/2015

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

Issue Brief: General

Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; extends the authority of the department of environmental conservation to adopt regulations for hunting in the northern zone.

Status: To Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation on May 12

 

New York S 4004

Introduced: 02/25/2015

Sponsor: Senator Betty Little

 Issue Brief: General  

Summary: Enacts the "Adirondack sportsmen's club preservation act"; provides that state acquisition of open space land shall only be undertaken with a Willing seller and shall remain subject to the leases of sportsmen's clubs thereon.

Status: From Senate Committee on Finance on May 19 

 

New York S 5340

Introduced: 05/13/2015

Sponsor: Senator George Amedore, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus     

Issue Brief: Hunting Dogs; Bear Hunting  

Summary: Authorizes the use and training of dogs for the hunting of bear; provides that dogs engaged in hunting and training as authorized by the environmental conservation law, shall not be deemed to be running at large in violation of any local law or ordinance

Status: To Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation on May 13  

 

New York S 5434

Introduced: 05/14/2015

Sponsor: Senator Joseph Griffo, Co-Chair, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus     

Issue Brief: Apprentice Hunting License; General License

Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; relates to lowering the age for universal hunting licenses from 14 years old to 12 years old.

Status: To Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation on May 14

 

Vermont H 5

Introduced: 01/08/2015

Sponsor: Representative David Deen

Issue Brief: Crossbows; Seniors, Veterans, and Active Duty Military Hunting and Angling Privileges; Apprentice Hunting License; General License; Invasive Species; Sound Suppressors 

Summary: Relates to hunting, fishing, and trapping; requires the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife to report to the House Committee regarding any free permanent fishing, hunting, or combination licenses issued to persons with a permanent, severe, physical mobility disability.

Status: Committee amendment adopted on Senate floor on May 14  

 

 

 

 

Illinois H 352

Introduced: 01/28/2015

Sponsor: Representative Pat Verschoore, Member, Illinois Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

 Issue Brief: General  

Summary: Amends the Wildlife Code; removes the prohibition on taking bobcats in the State; provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to trap or to hunt bobcats with gun, dog, dog and gun, or bow and arrow, except during the open season; provides that the season limit for bobcat shall not exceed one bobcat per permit; provides that the pelts of bobcats shall be tagged; requires Bobcat Hunting and Trapping Permits.

Status: From Senate Committee on Assignments: Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture (Amendment No. 1) on May 20 

 

Illinois H 3674

Introduced: 02/26/2015

Sponsor: Representative Mike Smiddy, Member, Illinois Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

 Issue Brief: Crossbows

Summary: Amends the Wildlife Code; provides that an individual with a youth hunting license may use a crossbow during the first week of the regular deer archery season, provided that the individual remains under the direct supervision of an adult who possesses a valid permit; provides that youths authorized to take deer with a crossbow shall first obtain a specified Deer Hunting Permit.

Status: In Senate: Placed on Calendar Order Third Reading on May 19  

 

Kansas H 2061

Introduced: 01/20/2015

Sponsor: House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee 

 Issue Brief: Conservation Funding

Summary: Concerns agriculture; relates to amending the powers and duties of the State Department of Agriculture Division of Conservation and the State Conservation Commission regarding the federal Clean Water Act that include conservation easement, contracting with engineering consultants and contractors for natural resource restoration, establishes fees for acquisition and the administration of such easements; prohibits General Fund moneys being used for such easements; protects natural resources.

Status: Signed by Governor on May 18   

 

Louisiana H 167

Introduced: 04/13/2015

Sponsor: Representative Richard Burford   

 Issue Brief: Invasive Species 

Summary: Limits the taking of outlaw quadrupeds, nutria, and beaver on private property at night to a specified time period; prohibits any person who has a conviction for prohibited night hunting from being eligible to hunt outlaw quadrupeds, nutria, or beaver at night.

Status: To Senate Committee on Natural Resources on May 20    

 

Louisiana S 210

Introduced: 04/13/2015

Sponsor: Senator Neil Riser, Member, Louisiana Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus  

 Issue Brief: Game Meat Donation  

Summary: Provides for the administration and uses of monies in the Hunters for the Hungry Account.

Status: From House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment: Reported with amendment on May 20     

 

Louisiana S 212

Introduced: 04/13/2015

Sponsor: Senator Rick Ward

 Issue Brief: Guns   

Summary: Authorizes bowhunters to carry any caliber firearm on their person while hunting with a bow.

Status: Referred to the Legislative Bureau on May 20      

 

Texas H 118

Introduced: 01/13/2015

Sponsor: Representative Dan Flynn, Member, Texas Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

 Issue Brief: Seniors; Veterans

Summary: Relates to a fee waiver for a combination resident hunting and fishing license for certain military personnel.

Status: To Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and Military Installations on May 15       

 

Texas H 721

Introduced: 01/14/2015

Sponsor: Representative Joe Farias, Member, Texas Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

 Issue Brief: Seniors; Veterans

Summary: Relates to the hunting or fishing license fee waiver for certain disabled veterans.

Status: Placed on intent calendar on May 20     

 

Texas H 1040

Introduced: 01/29/2015

Sponsor: Representative Chris Paddie, Member, Texas Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

 Issue Brief: Fishing Tournaments  

Summary: Relates to the liability of certain sports officials and organizations.

Status: Placed on local and uncontested calendar on May 19

 

Texas SJR 22

Introduced: 01/13/2015

Sponsor: Representative Brandon Creighton, Member, Texas Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 

 Issue Brief: Right to Hunt and Fish    

Summary: Proposes a constitutional amendment relating to the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife.

Status: Passed House on May 20 

 

Nevada A 78

Introduced: 02/02/2015

Sponsor: Assembly Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining Committee

 Issue Brief: General  

Summary: Make various other changes relating to wildlife; revises the process by which the Board of Wildlife Commissioners establishes certain policies and adopts certain regulations; revises provisions governing programs for the management and control of predatory wildlife; revises certain provisions governing county advisory boards to manage wildlife; revises the membership of the State Predatory Animal and Rodent Committee.

Status: Conference Committee Report adopted by Assembly on May 19

 

Nevada S 4

Introduced: 02/02/2015

Sponsor: Senator James Settelmeyer, Member, Nevada Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

 Issue Brief: Animal Traps

Summary: Provides exemptions from certain registration requirements for a trap, snare or similar device used in the trapping of wild mammals on private property; limits the requirement to obtain a permit to take or kill fur-bearing mammals.

Status: Amended on Assembly floor on May 19 

 

Nevada S 163

Introduced: 02/16/2015

Sponsor: Senator Scott Hammond, Co-Chair, Nevada Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

 Issue Brief: General 

Summary: Creates the Advisory Council on Nevada Wildlife Conservation and Education.

Status: Hearing held on Senate Committee on Finance on May 15 

 

Nevada S 176

Introduced: 02/19/2015

Sponsor: Senator James Settelmeyer, Member, Nevada Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

 Issue Brief: Knife Definitions

Summary: Revises provisions governing certain dangerous or deadly weapons; revises provision concerning concealed weapons; repeals certain provisions governing the manufacture and sale of switchblade knives.

Status: From Assembly Committee on Judiciary: Do Pass on May 19 

 

Oregon H 2049

Introduced: 02/02/2015

Sponsor: Representative Val Hoyle, Co-Chair, Oregon Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

Issue Brief: General; Seniors; Veterans

Summary: Authorizes certain hunters to use battery-powered scoping devices, pin sight lights and laser sighting devices to hunt; allows person to accompany visually impaired hunter to assist with hunting activities under certain circumstances.

Status: Public Hearing held on May 14  

 

Oregon S 175

Introduced: 02/02/2015

Sponsor: Senator Brian Boquist, Member, Oregon Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus

Issue Brief: Enforcement

Summary: Modifies certain penalties for wildlife law violations; declares emergency, effective on passage.

Status: Work Session scheduled on May 20 

 

Oregon S 913

Introduced: 03/04/2015

Sponsor: Senate Judiciary Committee

Issue Brief: Ivory 

Summary: Creates offense of trafficking in animal parts; provides that knowing purchase, sale, offering for sale, possession with intent to sell or importation for purchase or sale in this state of ivory, rhinoceros horn, ivory products or rhinoceros horn products is offense; creates exceptions; makes first offense punishable by a maximum number of days' imprisonment and by maximum fine or twice fair market value of ivory, rhinoceros horn, ivory product or rhinoceros horn product, whichever is greater.

Status: Work Session scheduled in House Judiciary Committee for May 27