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: Senate Amendment SA 1- SA 6 placed with bill on June 15
Introduced: 06/02/2016
Sponsor: Representative Michael Mulrooney, Member, Delaware Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: American System of Conservation Funding
Summary: Generates revenues needed for statewide wildlife conservation and for public access facilities on and the management and maintenance of public wildlife areas owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife ( "Division" ) by increasing fees for existing hunting and trapping licenses and by establishing a conservation access pass to be purchased by non-hunters for motor vehicles accessing these public lands. A conservation access pass would not be required to access certain such public lands to include
Status: Passed House. To Senate on June 14
Introduced: 06/24/2015
Sponsor: Senator Karen Peterson
Issue Brief: Wolf in Sheeps Clothing/ Animal Rights Groups; 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 on June 15
Introduced: 01/08/2015
Sponsor: Representative John Burt, Member, New Hampshire Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Firearm Suppressors
Summary: Repeals provisions prohibiting the use of silencing devices for taking wildlife.
Status: Signed by Governor Maggie Hassan, Member, Governors Sportsmen's Caucus on June 10
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Representative Suzanne Gottling
Issue Brief: Exotic Invasive Species
Summary: Prohibits the transport of exotic aquatic weeds; provides that the general court recognizes that transporting boats from one water body to another increases the risk of inadvertent transport of aquatic nuisance species; relates to penalties and the conference of certain enforcement powers; relates to the transport of aquatic plants or plant parts or exotic aquatic weeds or weed parts on the outside of boats, vehicles, and equipment, and the draining of water conveyances
Status: Signed by Governor Maggie Hassan, Member, Governors Sportsmen's Caucus on June 9
Introduced: 01/06/2016
Sponsor: Senator Dan Feltes
Issue Brief: Enforcement
Summary: Relates to the feeding of wild deer; prohibits the placing of food for consumption by wild deer that would be detrimental to the health of the deer population or a threat to public safety, in accordance with rules adopted by the executive director of fish and game; requires the fish and game department to provide informational materials to businesses.
Status: Ordered enrolled on June 15
Introduced: 01/21/2016
Sponsor: Senator Gary Daniels
Issue Brief: Off Highway Vehicles
Summary: Relates to an OHRV registration fee for persons who are members of an OHRV club; requires a report on registration alternatives for OHRV users who do not use organized trail systems; establishes an OHRV registration fee for persons who are members of an OHRV club which is reduced $30 from the increased fee paid by other registrants; requires the executive director of the fish and game department to report on registration alternatives for OHRV users who do not use organized trail systems.
Status: Signed by Governor Maggie Hassan, Member, Governors Sportsmen's Caucus on June 9
Introduced: 01/19/2016
Sponsor: Assemblyman Dan Quart
Issue Brief: Knife Ban Repeal
Summary: Amends the Penal Law; relates to the definitions of a switchblade knife and a gravity knife; excludes knives which have a spring, detent, or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward closure and that requires exertion applied to the blade by hand, wrist, or arm to overcome the bias toward closure and open the knife.
Status: Passed Senate on June 15
Introduced: 05/16/2016
Sponsor: Assembly Member Aileen Gunther, Co-Chair, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Hunter Recruitment, Retention, Reactivation; 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: Substituted by S6863 on June 8
Introduced: 04/15/2015
Sponsor: Senator Rich Funke, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Licenses (General)
Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; provides hunter safety instructors with a free hunting license in consideration for such services for the next license year beginning after the date the course was completed.
Status: To Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation on June 14
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: From Senate Committee on Rules on June 9
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; 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: To Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs on June 14
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: To Assembly Committee on Ways and Means on June 14
Introduced: 05/23/2016
Sponsor: Senator Robert Ortt
Issue Brief: Modern Sporting Rifle
Summary: Limits the application of the Safe Act to the counties of Suffolk, Nassau, Kings, Queens, Richmond, New York, Bronx and Westchester.
Status: Introduced. To Senate Committee on Codes on May 23
Introduced: 03/18/2016
Sponsor: Senator Pat Stefano
Issue Brief: American System of Conservation Funding
Summary: relates to game; relates to Pennsylvania Game Commission; provides for powers and duties of commission and for accountability; relates to hunting and furtaking licenses; provides for license costs and fees; makes an editorial change.
Status: In Senate on Third Consideration on June 14
Introduced: 03/21/2016
Sponsor: Senator John Eichelberger, Member, Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: American System of Conservation Funding
Summary: Amends Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission; provides for power to set fees by regulation; provides for collection fee for uncollectible checks; 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; provides for net permits.
Status: In Senate on Third Consideration on June 14
Introduced: 11/30/2015
Sponsor: Representative Barry Jozwiak
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 June 14
Introduced: 03/23/2016
Sponsor: Senator Cynthia Armour Coyne
Issue Brief: Licenses (General)
Summary: Facilitates the issuance of hunting licenses by Internet application; takes effect upon passage.
Status: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration for June 15 on June 12
Introduced: 01/14/2016
Sponsor: Representative David Deen, Member, Vermont Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Firearm Suppressors
Summary: Relates to hunting, fishing, and trapping; provides for fish importation permits, permits for introducing fish, a uniform point system, license revocation, unlawful equipment and vehicle forfeiture, big game violations, and threatened and endangered species; prohibits taking big game out of season; requires notices prohibiting the taking of game; relates to private ponds, youth hunting, the interstate wildlife violator compact, firearms, aerial hunting, destruction of state property and restitution.
Status: Act No. 145 om June 14
Introduced: 02/26/2016
Sponsor: House Natural Resources and Energy Committee
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Relates to timber harvesting; requires the Commissioner of Forests and Parks and Recreation to establish a harvest notification pilot program under which a landowner of property may notify the Commissioner prior to commencing a timber harvest in the state; provides for a unique harvest notification number and technical assistance and information; relates to manufacture and marketing of forest products, including biomass, fuel wood and maple sugar; relates to public and private forestlands.
Status: Signed by Governor Peter Shumlin, Vice Chair, Governors Sportsmen's Caucus
