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June 1, 2005
Volume 3, Issue 13
State Caucus Update:
California Sportsmen’s Caucus Event in June
Tennessee Closes Proactive 2005 Legislative Session
Minnesota Ends Victorious 2005 Legislative Session; Fall Dove Season Still Scheduled
Missouri General Assembly Adjourns, Caucus Preserves Sportsmen’s Resources
California Sportsmen’s Caucus Event in June
Hosted by the California Waterfowl Association and sponsored by NASC partners, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the National Wild Turkey Federation, the California Outdoor Caucus will step outside on Wednesday, June 8 for a Trap Shoot & BBQ Dinner. NASC works with state caucuses to set up such Step Outside events to provide legislators hands-on opportunities to learn more about issues they debate and promote in the halls of government.
Tennessee Closes Proactive 2005 Legislative Session
Demonstrating how a state sportsmen’s caucus can promote a proactive sportsmen’s agenda, the Tennessee Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus introduced several sportsmen friendly bills during the 2005 session. Following the lead already taken by Virginia, Caucus Co-Chair Senator Douglas S. Jackson (D-Dickson) introduced a bill banning internet hunting, which was passed by both bodies and signed into law by Governor Phil Bredesen. Senator Jackson did not stop with the victory of maintaining a fair chase ethic of hunting in the Volunteer State, he went on to introduce family friendly legislation allowing grandchildren of landowners to hunt and fish on the private property without a license which passed the full legislature. Unfinished business remains and will be taken up when the General Assembly reconvenes in January 2006. Senate Joint Resolution 44, a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to hunt, fish, and trap in Tennessee passed the Senate in May and will be considered by the House when the General Assembly reconvenes for the second session in January 2006.
Also of note, legislation making it a requirement for voter registration cards to be handed out at all locations selling hunting and fishing licenses was introduced and will be awaiting action in January 2006. The Voter Registration legislation was shared by Georgia State Senator Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) during the December 2004 National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses meeting in Texas and adopted as NASC Model legislation.
Minnesota Ends Victorious 2005 Legislative Session; Fall Dove Season Still Scheduled
The 2005 legislative session ended in Minnesota last week and the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance Legislative Caucus made positive steps in their efforts to protect sportsmen’s rights. "Once more, unlike other areas of legislative work, sportsmen legislators and the sporting groups coalition held together on several issues in our 2005 regular session," remarked Caucus Co-Chair and Vice President of the NASC Executive Council Senator Pat Pariseau (R-Farmington). She cited the caucus’s numerous wins, including passed legislation that offers and requires trapper education for all first-time trappers, allows kids under 12 to obtain a license to turkey hunt with adult supervision, extends selected hunting and fishing seasons, bans motorized duck decoys, and protects shooting ranges from lawsuits relating to noise. The Caucus also passed NASC supported legislation to ban remote hunting via the internet and additional measures which would give preference to recent veterans and those currently serving in the armed forces in the distribution of hunting and fishing licenses.
In addition to the successful legislation that did pass, hunters can take victory in two bills that failed. House Bill 1311 and Senate Bill 2252, both of which would have banned the practice of hunting mourning doves, were left in their respective Committees on Environment and Natural Resources when the session adjourned. The Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance, NASC, and our many partners worked tirelessly last session to open the first morning dove season in Minnesota since 1947, and the strength of the sportsmen’s caucus ensured that this season will remain for all Minnesotans to enjoy.
Missouri General Assembly Adjourns, Caucus Preserves Sportsmen’s Resources
During the 2005 legislative session, Missouri legislators pursued several promising pro-sportsmen initiatives and worked diligently to protect the resources available to the state’s sportsmen. The Missouri Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus was key in the defeat of an amendment on the house floor to strip $25 million from the Missouri Conservation Department. Caucus Co-Chair Representative Jason Brown ( R-Platte County) stated, “Efforts such as this by the caucus show what we can do when we work together.” Referring to an event held hosted by Bass Pro Shops prior to the opening of their new store in Columbia, Rep. Brown went on to say, “With the help of our friends in the outdoor industry, we will continue to grow as a caucus and will be an even more powerful voice for sportsmen in the next legislative session.”
Additional legislation considered during the 2005 session included an amendment to the Missouri State Constitution to guarantee the right of citizens to hunt, fish, and trap. The NASC backed bill, HB 698, would have waived the fees associated with hunting and fishing license fees for all active military personnel, as well as National Guard personnel and reserves. The bill reached the Committee on Conservation and Natural Resources before the session ended. In an effort to allow sportsmen more opportunities to get involved with the political process, caucus members introduced HB 929 to create a system allowing people who apply for hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses to simultaneously register to vote. This type of legislation is very important, and has been promoted by NASC throughout the year to strengthen the sportsmen’s voice at the polls. The caucus will continue to work on the legislation to achieve language allowing the bill to move forward in the 2006 session.
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