Tracking the Capitols is a weekly 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, recreational fishing and 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 CSF website for day-to-day updates by CSF’s State Program Team on important sportsmen’s legislation.
Recently Introduced Bills:
Colorado H 1224
Intro Date: 02/07/2013
Sponsor: Representative Rhonda Fields
Issue Brief: Full Capacity Magazines
Summary: Concerns prohibiting large-capacity ammunition magazines.
Status: Sent to Senate on February 18.
Colorado S 175
Intro Date: 02/13/2013
Sponsor: Senator Gail Schwartz
Issue Brief: Conservation Funding
Summary: Concerns the continuation of programs benefiting the preservation of wildlife habitat, and, in connection therewith, continuing the wildlife habitat stamp committee.
Status: To Senate Committee on Appropriations on February 20.
Indiana S 614
Intro Date: 01/17/2013
Sponsor: Senator Steele, Indiana Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair
Issue Brief: Game Meat Donation Programs
Summary: Relates to Sportsmen’s Benevolence Account; requires the Department of Natural Resources to adopt rules; provides for approved food assistance providers and approved meat processors; provides food from donations of wild game to feed the state’s hungry; requires the department to establish a grant process to compensate meat processors for processing wild game so that meat may be donated to certain nonprofit entities; requires the department to collect $1 toward grants for the processing of wild game.
Status: To Senate Committee Agriculture and Natural Resources on January 17.
Iowa H 165
Intro Date: 02/07/2013
Sponsor: Representative Anesa Kajtazovic
Issue Brief: Lead Ammunition Ban
Summary: Provides that the Natural Resource Commission may, upon its own motion and after an investigation, restrict the equipment used in taking certain wildlife, including the types of ammunition that may be used; allows the Natural Resource Commission to adopt rules prohibiting the use of lead shot as ammunition for the purpose of taking wildlife in this state, pursuant to the commission’s power as the sole agency to determine the facts as to whether biological balance exists and the power to regulate taking.
Status: To House Committee on Judiciary on February 7.
Iowa S 229
Intro Date:02/20/2013
Sponsor: Senator William Chapman
Issue Brief: Angling Access
Summary: Relates to bass fishing in the state; sets forth requirements for conducting bass fishing tournaments on public Waters in the state and requires a person conducting a bass fishing tournament to obtain a permit from the department of natural resources; currently, rules regulating fishing tournaments generally are contained in the department’s administrative rules at 571 IAC 44.4.
Status: To House Committee on Judiciary on February 7.
Kentucky S 129
Intro Date: 02/11/2013
Sponsor: Senator Jared Carpenter
Issue Brief: Full Capacity Magazines
Summary: Relates to firearms and declaring an emergency; prohibits the enforceability of any new federal law, rule, regulation, or order relating to the ownership or registration of certain firearms, magazines, or other firearms accessories.
Status:Recommitted to Senate Committee on Rules on February 21.
Kentucky S 211
Intro Date:02/15/2013
Sponsor: Senator Robin Webb (NASC EC)
Issue Brief: Knife Preemption
Summary: Relates to knives; preempts local regulation of firearms and ammunition, to include knives within the scope of the statute.
Status: Recommitted to Senate Committee on Rules on February 21.
Minnesota S 627
Intro Date:02/20/2013
Sponsor: Senator Tom Saxhaug, Minnesota Sportsmen’s Caucus Member
Issue Brief:Right to Hunt/Fish
Summary: Relates to game and fish; requires ground blinds to display blaze orange during the firearms deer season.
Status:To Senate Committee on Environment and Energy on February 21.
Oregon H 2023
Intro Date: 01/14/13
Sponsor: Representative Brian L. Clem
Issue Brief: Right to Hunt/Fish
Summary: Requires state agency to notify State Department of Fish and Wildlife before state agency restricts or closes access to state lands used for hunting; provides exceptions; requires department to post notice for 30 days on department’s website before state agency may restrict or close access to state lands used for hunting.
Status: To House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on January 22.
Oregon HJR 16
Intro Date: 01/14/13
Sponsor: Representatives Brian L. Clem, Sal Esquivel (NASC Executive Council), Wayne Krieger (Oregon Sportsmen’s Caucus), Brian Witt (Oregon Sportsmen’s Caucus)
Issue Brief: Right to Hunt/Fish
Summary: Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution establishing right to hunt, to fish, to trap and to harvest wildlife; refers proposed amendment to people for their approval or rejection at next regular general election.
Status: To House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on January 22.
Virginia H 2184
Intro Date: 01/09/2013
Sponsor: Delegate James Edmunds
Issue Brief: Licenses
Summary: Relates to trip hunting and fishing licenses; authorizes the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to issue trip hunting licenses to nonresidents and trip fishing licenses to residents and nonresidents for time periods and at costs determined by the Board; provides that current law allows nonresidents to purchase a three-day trip hunting license at a cost of $40 and a five-day trip fishing license at a cost of $10 and allows residents to purchase a five-day trip fishing license at a cost of $5.
Status: Eligible for Governor’s desk on February 22.
