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: Bill sponsors who are members of the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses are noted in bold.

Updates for the week of 

January 4, 2016
NORTHEASTERN STATES


Introduced: 09/21/2015
Sponsor: Councilman Phil Mendelson
Issue Brief: General                                               
Summary: (Permanent Law) Protects the aquatic and environmental assets of the District of Columbia, to designate an official fish of the District of Columbia, to designate an official amphipod of the District of Columbia, to establish an Aquatic Resources Education Program, to prescribe the administration of the Aquatic Resources Education Program, to provide wildlife management authority, to allow certain invasive wildlife control techniques, to allow the donation of captured species consistent with health restrictions.
Status: Public hearing on December 17
 
Introduced: 12/15/2015
Sponsor: Councilman Phil Mendelson
Issue Brief: Microstamping
Summary: Declares the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 to extend to January 1, 2018 the date for implementation of: the microstamping requirement for semiautomatic pistols.
Status: Assigned Resolution No. 342 on December 15 

Introduced: 12/16/2015
Sponsor: Delegate Tony McConkey, Member, Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 
Issue Brief: Guns 
Summary: Relates to firearms; relates to digital fingerprint record; relates to permit renewal.
Status: In Assembly voting session January 20
 
Introduced: 12/16/2015
Sponsor: Delegate Anthony O'Donnell, Member, Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 
Issue Brief: General 
Summary: Relates to Calvert County and St. Mary's County; relates to archery hunting; relates to safety zone.
Status: To House Committee on Environment and Transportation on December 16 

Introduced: 01/08/2015
Sponsor: Representative John Burt          
Issue Brief: Firearm Suppressors
Summary: Repeals provisions which prohibit the use of silencing devices for taking wildlife and impose penalties therefor.
Status: Passed House (184-124) om January 7  
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Mark Proulx, Member, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus   
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Allows a person to carry a rifle or shotgun in a motor vehicle, OHRV, snowmobile, boat, aircraft, or other vehicle; 16-2212 04/05.
Status: To House Committee on Transportation on January 6 
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Jason Parent
Issue Brief: General 
Summary: Requires that a person wishing to use bait on the land of another person obtain written permission from a property owner; the bill removes the requirement of filing a permit and map with the conservation officer; 16-2007 10/05.
Status: To House Committee on Fish and Game and Marine Resources on January 6    

Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Jason Parent
Issue Brief: Bear Hunting   
Summary: Provides that a guide licensed by the fish and game department shall not be limited in the number of bears they may assist in taking but shall be limited to 6 active bear bait sites; 16-2008 10/05.
Status: To House Committee on Fish and Game and Marine Resources on January 6    
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Robert Cushing 
Issue Brief: General License 
Summary: Establishes an exotic game hunting license to be issued by the fish and game department, in addition to any other license or permit, for hunting wild boar or elk in a game preserve; 16-2033 10/05.
Status: To House Committee on Fish and Game and Marine Resources on January 6    
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative David Kidder, Member, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus  
Issue Brief: General License 
Summary: Allows the fish and game department to establish 2 days per year for fishing without a license but requires persons in fishing tournaments to have a license on those days; 16-2295 10/01.
Status: To House Committee on Fish and Game and Marine Resources on January 6    
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative James Spillane
Issue Brief: Crossbows  
Summary: Allows a person who has purchased a muzzleloader license to hunt deer with a crossbow; 16-2018 04/10.
Status: To House Committee on Fish and Game and Marine Resources on January 6    
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative J.R. Hoell
Issue Brief: Guns   
Summary: Removes the suitable person requirement for obtaining a concealed carry license; the bill also extends the term of the license by one year; 16-2437 04/09.
Status: To House Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety on January 6     
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Joe Duarte  
Issue Brief: American System of Conservation
Summary: Inserts statutory fees for licenses and permits issued by the fish and game department which were removed by 2015, 186 (HB 212), and removes rulemaking authority for the fees; 16-2073 10/09.
Status: To House Committee on Fish and Game and Marine Resources on January 6   
 
Introduced: 01/08/2015
Sponsor: Senator David Watters, Member, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus   
Issue Brief: Hunter Education
Summary: Allows the Fish and Game Department to establish a registration fee paid by applicants to a hunter education program; provides any person who successfully complete the hunter education training program shall be given a credit in the amount of the registration fee paid toward the purchase of a hunting license.
Status: Died on table on November 18     
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Senator David Watters, Member, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus   
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Establishes the coastal marine natural resources and environment commission; 16-2736 08/09.
Status: To Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on January 6

Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Senator David Watters, Member, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus   
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Requires the fish and game department to identify existing and needed wildlife corridors connecting wildlife habitats in the state and to make recommendations to the legislature for changes to Laws; 16-2810 10/05.
Status: To Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on January 6

Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Senator Dan Feltes   
Issue Brief: Enforcement
Summary: Prohibits the feeding of wild deer at certain times and locations determined by the fish and game department and requires the labeling of wild animal feed; the bill requires the fish and game department to distribute informational materials; 16-2945 10/01.
Status: To Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on January 6
 
Introduced: 11/16/2015
Sponsor: Representative Tim Eustace
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Prohibits possession and transport of parts and products of certain animal at Port Authority of New York and New Jersey airports and port facilities.
Status: In Assembly voting session on January 20 
 
Introduced: 12/03/2015
Sponsor: Representative Donna Simon
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Prohibits possession, transport, import, export, processing, sale, or shipment of certain animal species threatened with extinction.
Status: In Assembly voting session on January 20
 
Introduced: 12/10/2015
Sponsor: Representative John Burzichelli, Co-Chair, New Jersey Angling and Hunting Conservation Caucus  
Issue Brief: Hunting Dogs
Summary: Authorizes the use of tracking dogs to search for and recover wild deer during prescribed hunting seasons.
Status: To Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on December 10
 
Introduced: 05/05/2015
Sponsor: Senator Raymond Lesniak 
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Prohibits certain possession, sale, offering for sale, trade or distribution of shark fins.
Status: From Assembly Committee on Environment and Solid Waste on December 14
 
Introduced: 11/09/2015
Sponsor: Senator Teresa Ruiz  
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Requires firearm retailers to sell personalized handguns in the same manner as other handguns; repeals sections of law prohibiting the sale of all handguns after personalized handguns are available for retail purposes; requires each wholesaler or retail dealer to maintain an inventory of the types of personalized handguns to be displayed in the dealer's salesroom and offered for sale to the general public.
Status: To Assembly Committee on Law and Public Safety on December 10 
    
Introduced: 08/10/2015
Sponsor: Senator Raymond Lesniak 
Issue Brief: Ivory
Summary: Prohibits possession, transport, import, export, processing, sale, or shipment of certain animal species threatened with extinction; prohibits the person lawfully possesses any ivory product and rhinoceros horn product; relates to the Big Five African Species.
Status: In Senate voting session on January 7 

Introduced: 01/08/2015
Sponsor: Assemblymember Thomas Abinanti  
Issue Brief: Animals Traps
Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; relates to the regulation of live restraint cable devices to take wildlife; provides for the repeal of such provision upon the expiration thereof.
Status: Amended in Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation on December 16  

Introduced: 02/17/2015
Sponsor: Assemblymember Thomas Abinanti 
Issue Brief: Guns 
Summary: Enacts the "children's weapon accident prevention act"; creates crimes of failure to store a weapon safely in the first and second degrees, aggravated failure to store a weapon safely, and criminally negligent storage of a weapon in the first and second degrees; provides affirmative defenses; directs the commissioner of education to develop a weapons safety program.
Status: Amended in Assembly Committee on Codes December 16
 
Introduced: 12/16/2015
Sponsor: Assemblymember Carrie Woerner
Issue Brief: American System of Conservation Funding
Summary: Relates to fees charged for certain hunting, fishing and trapping licenses.
Status: To Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation on December 16

Introduced: 02/09/2015
Sponsor: Senator Catharine Young
Issue Brief: Hunting Dogs
Summary: Amends the Agriculture and Markets Law; 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 if seized by authorized personnel on property used for hunting.
Status: Vetoed (Veto No. 293 for 205) by Governor on December 11

Introduced: 02/02/2015
Sponsor: Representative Fred Keller     
Issue Brief: Guns 
Summary: Amends the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, in tax for education; provides for exclusions from sales and use tax.
Status: In House on Second Consideration on January 11
 
Introduced: 03/23/2015
Sponsor: Representative Dan Moul, Member, Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus     Issue Brief: Access Private Lands
Summary: Amends the act of February 2, 1965 (P.L.1860, No.586), entitled "An act encouraging landowners to make land and water areas available to the public for recreational purposes by limiting liability in connection therewith, and repealing certain acts;" provides for liability for landowners to recreational users; provides for attorney fees and court costs.
Status: In House on Second Consideration on January 11
 
Introduced: 03/03/2015
Sponsor: Representative Jim Marshall, Member, Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus      
Issue Brief: General 
Summary: Amends Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, provides, in hunting and furtaking, for unlawful devices and methods, and in special licenses and permits, for permits for individuals with disabilities; authorizes the use of a motorized wheelchair.
Status: Signed by Governor (Act No. 76) on December 10
 
Introduced: 11/09/2015
Sponsor: Representative Mike Vereb   
Issue Brief: Ivory 
Summary: Amends Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the State Consolidated Statutes; amends, in riot, disorderly conduct and related offenses; prohibits the import, sale, purchase, barter or possession of ivory or rhinoceros horn.
Status: Rereffered to House Committee on Game and Fisheries on December 19
 
Introduced: 12/16/2015
Sponsor: Representative Neil Goodman, Member, Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus   
Issue Brief: Enforcement
Summary: Amends Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in hunting and furtaking; provides for interference with lawful taking of wildlife or other activities permitted by this title prohibited.
Status: To House Committee on Game and Fisheries on December 16   
 
Introduced: 12/16/2015
Sponsor: Representative Neil Goodman, Member, Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus  
Issue Brief: Enforcement
Summary: Amends Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in enforcement; provides for revocation, suspension or denial of license, permit or registration.
Status: To House Committee on Game and Fisheries on December 16  

Introduced: 04/16/2015
Sponsor: Senator Scott Hutchinson, Member, Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus      
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Amends Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in hunting and furtaking; provides for unlawful devices and methods.
Status: In House on Second Consideration on January 11
 
Introduced: 01/05/2016
Sponsor: Representative John Bartholomew
Issue Brief: Dog Tethering 
Summary: Relates to adequate shelter of dogs and cats.
Status: To House Committee on Agriculture and Forest Products on January 5   
 
Introduced: 01/05/2016
Sponsor: Representative David Deen 
Issue Brief: American System of Conservation Funding  
Summary: Relates to a Wildlife Management and Conservation Stamp for the taking of fish or wildlife.
Status: To House Committee on Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources on January 5
 
Introduced: 01/05/2015
Sponsor: Senator Dick Sears, Member, Vermont Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 
Issue Brief: Range Protection
Summary: Relates to sport shooting ranges and Act 250.
Status: To Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on January 5   
 
Introduced: 01/05/2016
Sponsor: Senator Brian Campion   
Issue Brief: American System on Conservation Funding 
Summary: Relates to hunting licenses for minors.
Status: To Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on January 5   
 
Introduced: 12/18/2015
Sponsor: Delegate Barry Knight, Member, Virginia Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus         
Issue Brief: Enforcement
Summary: Relates to damaged duck blinds in Virginia Beach; requires a person who holds a duck blind license for a stationary blind located in the City of Virginia Beach to immediately notify the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (the Department) when his blind has been abandoned, is in a state of disrepair, or does not meet the duck blind standards.
Status: To House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources on December 18

Introduced: 12/18/2015
Sponsor: Delegate Barry Knight, Member, Virginia Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus         
Issue Brief: Enforcement
Summary: Relates to killing feral hogs; allows employees of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and federal agencies having responsibility for fisheries and wildlife management to hunt or kill, from aircraft and with the permission of the landowner, feral hogs in False Cape State Park and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, except during waterfowl season.
Status: To House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources on December 18
 
Introduced: 12/31/2015
Sponsor: Delegate Scott Lingamfelter, Co-Chair, Virginia Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General 
Summary: Relates to allowing the sale of wildlife products; authorizes the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to adopt regulations that allow a licensed hunter or trapper to manufacture and sell products made from wildlife that he has legally harvested, except when the manufacturing or sale of such products is detrimental to public health or sound wildlife management.
Status: To House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources on December 31 

Virginia S 48
Introduced: 12/15/2015
Sponsor: Senator Dick Black        
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Relates to concealed handgun permits; allows any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere he may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth.
Status: To Senate Committee on Courts and Justice on December 15 


SOUTHEASTERN STATES


Florida H 1075
Introduced: 12/30/2015
Sponsor: Representative Matt Caldwell         
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Relates to state lands.
Status: Pre-filed on December 30 


MIDWESTERN STATES


Introduced: 01/05/2016
Sponsor: Senator Mark Messmer 
Issue Brief: High Fence
Summary: Provides that the department of natural resources may not regulate certain privately owned cervidae; provides for the initial licensing by the state board of animal health of hunting preserves on which privately owned cervidae, as well as sheep and goats, are hunted; establishes licensing requirements, inspection requirements, and fees; exempts licensed hunting preserves and cervidae livestock operations from certain licensing requirements.
Status: To Senate Committee on Natural Resources on January 5

Introduced: 10/13/2015
Sponsor: Representative Bruce Rendon, Member, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus   
Issue Brief: Angling Access 
Summary: Relates to free fishing days; clarifies provisions related to state-operated public boating access sites or state parks where there is an opportunity to fish on a day that the department has designated as a free winter fishing day or a free fishing day.
Status: In Senate. Read third time. Passed Senate. To House for concurrence December 16
 
Introduced: 12/17/2015
Sponsor: Representative Triston Cole, Member, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Act
Issue Brief: General   
Summary: Authorizes aquaculture facilities; provides for consolidated permitting.
Status: To House Committee on Judiciary on December 16
 
Introduced: 12/17/2015
Sponsor: Representative Lee Chatfield, Member, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus   
Issue Brief: Knife Definitions; Knife Preemptions   
Summary: Revises prohibitions against carrying certain weapons.
Status: To House Committee on Judiciary on December 17  
 
Introduced: 12/16/2015
Sponsor: Senator Darwin Booher, Member, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus     
Issue Brief: General   
Summary: Authorizes aquaculture facilities; provides for consolidated permitting.
Status: To Senate Committee on Agriculture on December 16

Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Jay Houghton, Member, Missouri Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 
Issue Brief: High Fence
Summary: Specifies that the Department of Agriculture has the authority to regulate agricultural deer.
Status: Introduced on January 6   
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Travis Fitzwater, Member, Missouri Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus 
Issue Brief: Invasive Species  
Summary: Changes the laws regarding feral hogs.
Status: Introduced on January 6   
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Don Rone
Issue Brief: Off Highway Vehicles
Summary: Allows all-terrain vehicles to be used by individuals 60 years of age or older on conservation land for the purposes of hunting or fishing.
Status: Introduced on January 6
 
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Senator Wayne Wallingford, Member, Missouri Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus  
Issue Brief: Invasive Species  
Summary: Relates to feral hogs.
Status: Introduced on January 6   
 
Introduced: 12/31/2015
Sponsor: House Agriculture and Natural Resources     
Issue Brief: General   
Summary: Repeals certain obsolete and unnecessary statutes concerning game preserves and refuges.
Status: Prefiled on December 31  
 
Introduced: 10/30/2015
Sponsor: Representative Ken Skowronski, Member, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus     
Issue Brief: Enforcement     
Summary: Relates to wild animal protection surcharges for game fish and a higher wild animal protection surcharge for certain animals of a larger size.
Status: To Assembly Committee on Rules on December 11    
 
Introduced: 11/18/2015
Sponsor: Representative Joel Kleefisch, Co-Chair, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus     
Issue Brief: General  
Summary: Authorizes a person to shoot to kill an animal wounded by another person while hunting; provides for youth hunting.
Status: In Assembly. Substitute Amendment No. 1 offered on December 21
 
Introduced: 10/09/2015
Sponsor: Senator Duey Stroebel, Member, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus     
Issue Brief: General; Angling Access
Summary: Relates to trolling permits issued to persons whose sight is impaired.
Status: Public Hearing held on January 5  
 
Introduced: 12/07/2015
Sponsor: Senator Terry Moulton, Co-Chair, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus     
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Authorizes a person to shoot to kill an animal wounded by certain hunters.
Status: Public Hearing held on January 5  


WESTERN STATES 


Introduced: 02/18/2015
Sponsor: Assemblymember James Gallagher, Member, California Outdoor Sporting Caucus 
Issue Brief: General; Lead Ban 
Summary: Repeals restrictions against the use of non-lead ammunition for the taking of all wildlife and related provisions. 
Status: In Assembly. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife on January 4
Hearing  to be held at the State Capitol, Room 437 at 10:00am on January 12 

Introduced: 12/28/2015
Sponsor: Representative Dick Muri
Issue Brief: Appreciation in School; Hunter Education
Summary: Requires the superintendent of public instruction to develop an elective firearms safety and hunter education course for high school students.
Status: Prefiled on December 28
        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, angling, recreational shooting, 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 (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN, WV), at 334.593.6988, or email bee@sportsmenslink.org
 
Midwestern States Director Chris Horton (AR, IL, KS, LA, MO, NE, OK, TX), at 501.865.1475, or email chris@sportsmenslink.org

Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator Alana Barricks (DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA), at 202.543.6850 x 18, or email alana@sportsmenslink.org 
 
Northeastern States Director Brent Miller (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT), at 202.543.6850 x 13, or email brent@sportsmenslink.org
 
Midwestern States Coordinator Kyle Rorah (MI, IN, OH, WI, MN, IA, ND, SD), at 734.477.5040, or email kyle@sportsmenslink.org
 
Western States Director Andy Treharne (AZ, CA, CO, MT, NM, UT, WY), at 303.789.7589, or email andy@sportsmenslink.org



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