Introduced: 02/18/2016
Sponsor: Joint Committee on Judiciary
Issue Brief: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing/ Animal Rights Groups
Summary: Concerns support for cats and dogs that are neglected or treated cruelly; permits the use of animal advocates in certain legal proceedings relating to neglected or cruelly treated animals; relates to animal control officers, veterinarians and peace officers; requires the Department of Agriculture to maintain a list of attorneys with knowledge of animal issues, the legal system, and a list of law schools that have student with interest in animal issues and the legal system.
Status: To Governor on May 16
Introduced: 02/18/2016
Sponsor: Joint Committee on Environment
Issue Brief: General; American System of Conservation Funding
Summary: Concerns the authority of the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection; establishes a trout stamp and a resident game bird conservation stamp; amends certain hunting and fishing fees for residents less than eighteen years of age; erects a pheasant stocking account and program.
Status: Signed by Governor (Public Act No. 16-27) on May 17
Introduced: 03/16/2016
Sponsor: Representative William Carson, Co-Chair, Delaware Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Sunday Hunting Restrictions
Summary: Allows for the hunting of deer on private land on Sundays.
Status: Passed Senate Committee on Natural resources and Environment on May 19
Introduced: 04/14/2016
Sponsor: Representative Edward Osienski
Issue Brief: National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)
Summary: Closes a loophole to our gun background check laws. The current loophole allows for guns to be given to a potential purchaser if the background check is delayed for 3 days or more. In some cases a gun is given to a person who should not be in possession of a firearm. This leads to law enforcement having to retrieve a gun from a person prohibited if the background check provides that a person should not have a gun.
Status: In Senate Committee on Judiciary on May 18
Introduced: 06/24/2015
Sponsor: Senator Karen Peterson
Issue Brief: Ivory Ban
Summary: Would prohibit a person from purchasing, selling, offering for sale, possessing with intent to sell, or importing with intent to sell ivory or rhinoceros horn, except as specified, and would make this prohibition enforceable by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The bill would make a violation of this act, or any rule, regulation, or order adopted pursuant to this provision a misdemeanor subject to specified criminal penalties.
Status: In House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment on May 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 to investigate, monitor, and propose prevention and mitigation strategies for emerging environmental threats in coastal and Great Bay waters, including the warming of waters, ocean acidification, and nutrient loading, which impact fish, shellfish, and the food chain thereof.
Status: Enrolled Bill Amendment on May 13
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Mark Proulx, Member, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Prohibits carrying in a motor vehicle, OHRV, snowmobile, aircraft, or boat, a loaded rifle or loaded shotgun that has a round in the chamber and the safety in the off position.
Status: Failed to pass Senate on May 12
Introduced: 05/12/2016
Sponsor: Representative Erik Peterson
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Establishes reasonableness standard for persons lawfully transporting firearm who deviate from course of travel.
Status: Introduced. To Assembly Committee on Law and Public Safety on May 12
Introduced: 01/22/2015
Sponsor: Assembly Member Vivian Cook
Issue Brief: Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact
Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; relates to the suspension of hunting and fishing licenses pursuant to the interstate wildlife violator compact.
Status: From Assembly Committee on Codes on May 17
Introduced: 06/11/2015
Sponsor: Assembly Member David Weprin
Issue Brief: Knife Definitions
Summary: Amends the Penal Law; includes machetes within the definition of a deadly weapon.
Status: Passed Assembly. To Senate on May 11
Introduced: 12/16/2015
Sponsor: Assembly Member Carrie Woerner
Issue Brief: License (General)
Summary: Relates to fees charged for certain hunting, fishing and trapping licenses.
Status: Amended in Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation on May 17
Introduced: 03/03/2016
Sponsor: Assembly Member Amy Paulin
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Establishes a waiting period before a firearm, shotgun or rifle may be delivered to a person.
Status: Amended in Assembly Committee on Codes on May 16
Introduced: 05/16/2016
Sponsor: Assembly Member Aileen Gunther, Co-Chair, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; authorizes minors who are hunting to wear solid or patterned pink material which shall be visible from all directions.
Status: Introduced. To Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation on May 16
Introduced: 01/07/2016
Sponsor: Senator Betty Little
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentives
Summary: Establishes a forestry stewardship and habitat conservation credit for personal income and business franchise taxes.
Status: To Assembly Committee on Finance o May 17
Introduced: 02/20/2015
Sponsor: Senator Kathleen Marchione, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: License (General)
Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; relates to fees charged for certain hunting, fishing and trapping licenses; relates to sportsman education instructors.
Status: Amended in Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation on May 13
Introduced: 01/13/2016
Sponsor: Senator Michael Ranzenhofer, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; relates to permits for non-ambulatory persons to possess loaded firearms in motor vehicles; defines non-ambulatory as being unable to move about in a field, wood or other hunting arena without mechanical assistance.
Status: Amended in Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation on May 12
Introduced: 05/12/2016
Sponsor: Senator Catharine Young
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Amends the Penal Law; requires a written determination to be made, on each application for issuance or renewal of a license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver, within a specified number of days of receipt; requires refund of all fees submitted with such application if a determination is not made in a timely manner.
Status: Introduced. To Senate Committee on Codes on May 12
Introduced: 05/12/2016
Sponsor: Senator Robert Ortt
Issue Brief: Right to Hunt, Fish and Harvest Wildlife
Summary: Relates to the right to hunt, trap and fish; provides for regulation by the State.
Status: Introduced. To Senate Committee on Judiciary on May 12
Introduced: 05/12/2016
Sponsor: Senator Robert Ortt
Issue Brief: White-tailed Deer Management - Hunting as a preferred Management Tool
Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; provides that for the issuance of deer management permits for certain disabled veterans, such veterans shall only have to provide proof of service-related disability once and every year thereafter, provide proof of an expired permit.
Status: Introduced. To Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs on May 12
Introduced: 05/12/2016
Sponsor: Senator Robert Ortt
Issue Brief: Seniors, Veterans, and Active Duty Military, Hunting and Angling Privileges
Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; requires the department to review laws and policies pertaining to free or reduced cost hunting and fishing licenses.
Status: Introduced. To Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation on May 12
Introduced: 11/30/2015
Sponsor: Representative Barry Joswiak
Issue Brief: Hunting with Dogs
Summary: Amends the Game Statutes, in hunting and furtaking; provides for dogs pursuing, injuring or killing big game; provides that shall be unlawful to make use of a leashed blood-tracking dog to track a white-tailed deer, bear or elk in an attempt to recover an animal which has been legally killed or wounded during any open season for such animals.
Status: In Senate on Third Consideration on Mau 18
Introduced: 05/16/2015
Sponsor: Representative Michael Hanna, Member, Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Modern Restraining Animal Traps
Summary: Amends Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in hunting and furtaking; provides for unlawful acts concerning taking of furbearers.
Status: Introduced. To House Committee on Game and Fisheries on May 16
Introduced: 03/18/2016
Sponsor: Senator Pat Stefano
Issue Brief: American System of Conservation Funding
Summary: Amends Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Pennsylvania Game Commission; provides for powers and duties of commission; in hunting and furtaking licenses; provides for license costs and fees.
Status: In Senate. Removed from table on May 16
Introduced: 03/21/2016
Sponsor: Representative David Maloney, Member, Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Apprentice Hunting License
Summary: Amends Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission; provides for power to set fees by regulation; in fiscal affairs; provides for collection fee for uncollectible checks; in fishing licenses; provides for nonresident and tourist licenses, for one-day resident fishing license, for license, permit and issuing agent fees and for license and permit packaging options; in special licenses and permits; provides for net permits.
Status: In Senate. Removed from table on May 16
Introduced: 01/22/2016
Sponsor: Representative Cale Keable
Issue Brief: Fresh Water Angling Access
Summary: Would provide for the creation of a new position in the fish and wildlife division of the department of environmental management, and would place oversight of freshwater lakes, streams, and ponds, in the fish and wildlife division. This act would take effect upon passage.
Status: In House Committee on Finance: Committee recommends measure to be held for further study on May 12
Introduced: 02/26/2016
Sponsor: House Natural Resources and Energy Committee
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Relates to timber harvesting.
Status: Eligible for Governor's desk on May 12