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April 20, 2006
Volume 4, Issue 15
State Caucus Update
Tennessee Senate Passes Apprentice Hunting Legislation
Florida ‘No Net Loss’ & Voter Registration Legislation Gaining Momentum
Missouri General Assembly Tightening Ballot Box Requirements for Wildlife Management
California Caucus Leadership Changes
Missouri Caucus Gathers for Annual Benefit Shoot
Animal Rights Activists Mobilize to Oppose Sunday Hunting
Tennessee Senate Passes Apprentice Hunting Legislation
Caucus Co-Chair Senator Doug Jackson (D-Dickson) introduced S.3444 to authorize the Tennessee Wildlife Agency to create a one-year, one-time-only permit that would allow residents over the age of 10 to participate in a supervised hunt before taking a hunter education course. The measure has passed the Senate and now heads to the House for approval.
Florida ‘No Net Loss’ & Voter Registration Legislation Gaining Momentum
The passage of SB 430 and HB 265, both versions of no net loss of hunting lands legislation, has picked up momentum as the Legislature enters its final weeks of the legislative session in Tallahassee. After an amendment to keep state park lands from being considered when acres are opened to hunting was approved, opposition to the bill died down. Allied Sportsmen's Associations of Florida reports that more than a dozen sportsmen’s groups have signed on to support the legislation.
Voter registration legislation, HB 125 passed the House this week, clearing the way for vendors selling hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses to provide hunters and anglers the opportunity to register to vote or to update their voter registration card. This NASC model legislation was introduced to Sunshine State legislators at the NASC Annual Meeting in 2004 by members of the Georgia General Assembly.
Missouri General Assembly Tightening Ballot Box Requirements for Wildlife Management
Wildlife management laws would be harder to change at the ballot box if Missouri’s HJR43 continues its way through the General Assembly. Representative Mike Dethrow (R-Alton) said the measure is “a better way to do it than allow PETA or some other group to come in and start banning trapping, bow hunting or some other thing.” The bill, which has passed the House and now awaits Senate action, would require the approval of two-thirds of voters on ballot items involving wildlife management. If the Senate passes the measure, it will be up to voters to decide in November.
California Caucus Leadership Changes
Leaders of the California Legislative Outdoor Sporting Caucus have been actively recruiting new members in recent weeks. In addition, Assemblyman Joe Baca, Jr. (D-Rialto) was elected to serve as Caucus Co-Chair, serving alongside Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta). The Caucus is currently planning to host its two highly popular summer events, a legislator shoot and dinner with sportsmen’s groups from around the state.
Missouri Caucus Gathers for Annual Benefit Shoot
The United Sportsmen's Club near the Capitol in Jefferson City was the scene for the Missouri Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus annual shoot, benefiting 4-H Shooting Sports in the state. More than 30 members of the caucus returned to the Capitol a day early to attend the event. Speaker Rod Jetton (R-Marble Hill) was on hand and burning up the ammo throughout the event with Caucus Co-Chairs Senator Frank Barnitz (D-Lake Spring) and Representative Charlie Schlottach (R-Owensville) on trap and skeet fields and a special 5-Stand field set up and operated by the Hunter Education staff of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Gerald and Jordan Snapp, of Missouri 4-H Shooting Sports, were on hand to demonstrate techniques and discuss the success of the shooting program.
Later that evening, Caucus Co-Chair Representative Jason Brown (R-Platte City) called as he boarded a plane in Baltimore on his way to a year's deployment in Iraq. All members participating in the shoot signed a Missouri Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus banner which will be sent to Rep. Brown in Iraq. Rep. Brown has been an active leader in the Missouri Caucus and NASC wishes him a safe return.
Animal Rights Activists Mobilize to Oppose Sunday Hunting
As reported in last week’s State Matters, the Connecticut Senate voted to open limited Sunday bow hunting. This week, an Associated Press article highlighted the scramble by anti-hunting groups such as the Humane Society of the United States to oppose the bill. HSUS representative Linda Huebner was quoted as saying, “[the bill] never made this much progress before so we’re putting a lot of energy into fighting it.”
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