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.

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.

Due to the high volume of legislation, Tracking the Capitols only includes bills that have had recent status updates. With questions about specific bills, please contact your 
Updates for the week of 
July 31, 2017
NORTHEAST
NORTHEASTERN STATES


Introduced: 01/04/2017
Sponsor: Representative Stephen J. Wood, Co-Chair, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Right to Hunt, Fish, and Harvest Wildlife
Summary:  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Maine to establish the right to hunt and fish.
Status: 128th Legislature, First Regular Session Adjourned; Carried Over to Next Session on August 2

Introduced: 02/15/2017
Sponsor: Representative Roland Danny Martin, Member, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary:  Repeals the prohibition on the exchange for consideration of a moose permit in a designated hunting area, zone or season for another moose permit in a different designated hunting area, zone or season; requires the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to establish an online transfer system for moose permits through which transfers of designated hunting areas, zones or seasons may be accomplished.
Status: 128th Legislature, First Regular Session Adjourned; Carried Over to Next Session on August 2

Introduced: 03/01/2017
Sponsor: Representative Gary L. Hilliard, Member, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Licenses (General)
Summary:  Establishes resident and nonresident comprehensive hunting licenses that allow hunting of all legal species subject to the moose, pheasant, migratory waterfowl, special season deer and antlerless deer permit requirements; provides a fee for the resident comprehensive hunting license is a specified amount and the fee for the nonresident comprehensive hunting license is a specified amount; establishes resident and nonresident comprehensive combination hunting and fishing licenses.
Status: 128th Legislature, First Regular Session Adjourned; Carried Over to Next Session on August 2

Introduced: 03/29/2017
Sponsor: Representative Russell Black, Member, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary:  This bill limits the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to adding to the list of state heritage fish waters only those lakes and ponds identified as eastern brook trout waters and arctic charr waters that according to reliable records have not been stocked for at least 25 years or have never been stocked.
Status: 128th Legislature, First Regular Session Adjourned; Carried Over to Next Session on August 2

Introduced: 05/10/2017
Sponsor: Representative Stephen S. Stanley
Issue Brief: Forest Management
Summary:  This bill makes the following changes to the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law. 1. It includes harvesting as an expressly stated purpose for land in the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law program. 2. It removes certain items from the definition of forest products that have commercial value under the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law program. 3. It increases the minimum parcel size from 10 acres to 25 acres for the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law program for parcels enrolled on or after April 1, 2018.
Status: 128th Legislature, First Regular Session Adjourned; Carried Over to Next Session on August 2

Introduced: 01/09/2017
Sponsor: Senator Eric Brakey
Issue Brief: Guns (General)
Summary: This bill lowers from 21 years of age to 18 years of age the age at which a person may carry a concealed handgun.
Status: In House; Please in Legislative File (dead) on August 2
 
Introduced: 02/08/2017
Sponsor: Senator Paul T. Davis, Member, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: White-tailed Deer Management - Hunting as a Preferred Management Tool
Summary: Requires that at least 10% of antlerless deer permits issued in a wildlife management district be issued to eligible hunters who are 70 years of age and older.
Status: In House; Please in Legislative File (dead) on August 2

Introduced: 02/15/2017
Sponsor: Senator Thomas B. Saviello, Co-Chair, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Forest Management
Summary:  Implements the recommendations of the Commission To Study the Public Reserved Lands Management Fund; establishes additional guidelines that must be followed by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry before it may adopt any rule that would make changes to the annual allowable harvesting level for public reserved lands and nonreserved public lands; directs the department to conduct a detailed forest inventory of the State's public reserved lands and nonreserved public lands.
Status: Governor's veto overridden by House and Senate; enacted on July 20
 
Introduced: 05/15/2017
Sponsor: Assembly Member Clifford W. Crouch, Co-Chair, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary:  Directs the commissioner of environmental conservation to include the mourning dove within the definition of migratory game birds and to allow for their taking.
Status: Amended in Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation on July 31
 
Introduced: 03/06/2017
Sponsor: Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary:  Amends the environmental conservation law; makes provisions permanent relating to hunting in the county of Genesee.
Status: Signed by Governor on July 25
 
Introduced: 01/20/2017
Sponsor: Senator Mario M. Scavello
Issue Brief: Hunting with Dogs
Summary:  Amends Game of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in hunting and fur-taking; provides for dogs pursuing, injuring or killing big game.
Status: In Senate. Removed from table on July 26

SOUTHEAST
SOUTHEASTERN STATES


Introduced:  07/24/2017
Sponsor:  Representative Tommy Hanes
Issue Brief:  Animal Traps
Summary:  Relates to trapping animals and strict liability for civil damages for causing injury to a person or an animal on public land; limits the liability to injuries caused by traps or similar devices used on public land in violation of state laws or rules.
Status: Prefiled on July 24
 
Introduced:  02/20/2017
Sponsor:  Senator Andy Wells
Issue Brief:  General
Summary:  Removes safety hazards and restore the state's natural riverine resources by facilitating the removal of obsolete and unwanted dams.
Status:  Signed by Governor on July 20. Session Law Number 2017-145
 
Introduced:  03/29/2017
Sponsor: Senator William Cook, Member, North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief:  Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA)
Summary:  Creates a program for the permitting of marine aquaculture activities; requires the division of marine fisheries of the Department of Environmental quality to request the issuance of federal rules to allow marine aquaculture in federal Waters off the coast of the state.
Status:  Signed by Governor on July 27. Session Law Number 2017-190
 
Introduced:  03/15/2017
Sponsor: Representative Josh Dobson
Issue Brief:  General
Summary:  Authorizes the addition of Black River State Park, Bob's Pocket State natural area, Warwick Mill Bay State natural area, and Salmon Creek State natural area to the state parks system.
Status:  Signed by Governor on July 25. Session Law Number 2017-177
 
Introduced:  04/05/2017
Sponsor: Representative Chris Millis, Member, North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief:  Sunday Hunting
Summary:  Expands the use of firearms for hunting of wild animals and upland game birds on Sunday; allows hunting of migratory birds on Sunday.
Status: Signed by Governor on July 25. Session Law Number 2017-182


MIDWEST MIDWESTERN STATES


Introduced: 02/09/2017
Sponsor: Representative Jerry Costello, Member, Illinois Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Crossbows
Summary: Amends the Wildlife Code; repeals provision providing that it is unlawful to use any crossbow for the purpose of taking any wild birds or mammals except as provided in the Code; repeals Sections concerning the use of crossbows; provides for any immediate effective date.
Status: To Governor on July 24
 
Introduced: 02/09/2017
Sponsor: Representative Sara Feigenholtz
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Amends the Wildlife Code; provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or trap bobcat in this State on or after the effective date of the bill in the specified counties.
Status: To Governor on July 28
 
Introduced: 7/18/2017
Sponsor: Representative Pat Fallon
Issue Brief: Outdoor Sporting Goods Tax Holiday
Summary: Relates to an exemption from the sales tax for firearms and hunting supplies for a limited period.
Status: 07/20/2017 To HOUSE Committee on WAYS AND MEANS
 
Introduced:  07/20/2017
Sponsor: Representative Larry Phillips
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Relates to the eligibility of land for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as qualified open-space land on the basis of its use for wildlife management.
Status:  Hearing  held on August 2

Introduced: 7/26/17
Sponsor:  Representative Joel Kleefisch, Co-Chair, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Apprentice Hunting Licenses
Summary: Relates to age and hunting restrictions applicable to the hunting mentorship program.
Status:  Public hea ring held on August 2

Introduced: 02/21/17
Sponsor : Senator Terry Moulton, Co-Chair, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Chronic Wasting Disease
Summary: Relates to rules that prohibit feeding deer in certain counties; relates to chronic wasting disease.
Status: Signed by Governor Scott Walker, Member, Governors Sportsmen's Caucus, on August 2
 
Introduced: 5/17/17
Sponsor : Senator Patrick Testin
Issue Brief: General License
Summary: Relates to the cumulative preference system for issuing Class A bear hunting licenses; provides a person of any age may apply for a preference point.
Status: Signed by Governor Scott Walker, Member, Governors Sportsmen's Caucus, on August 2
 
Introduced: 7/25/17
Sponsor:  Senator Terry Moulton, Co-Chair, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Apprentice Hunting Licenses
Summary: Relates to age and hunting restrictions applicable to the hunting mentorship program.
Status: Public Hearing held on August 2

WESTWESTERN STATES

 There are currently no updates.
        SCI SCI 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 visit: 
www.SportsmensLink.org

For additional information on legislation included in this report please contact the appropriate representative: 
 
Senior Director, Northeastern States Brent Miller, at 202-543-6850 x13, or brent@sportsmenslink.org
Director, Southeastern States Bee Frederick, at 202-590-0475, or bee@sportsmenslink.org
Senior Director, Midwestern States Chris Horton, at 501-865-1475, or chris@sportsmenslink.org
Senior Director, Western States Andy Treharne, at 303-789-7589, or andy@sportsmenslink.org


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