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. The bills noted in this email represent only a fraction of the legislation that CSF’s States Program is monitoring on a day-to-day basis.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: In bold are sponsors who are members of their respective Sportsmen’s Legislative Caucus.
Introduced: 03/13/2013
Sponsor: Senator Pete Kelly
Issue Brief: Recruitment
Summary: Relates to big game hunting with resident children; includes grandparents and resident grandparents; amends bag limits for a Sitka blacktail deer.
Status: Signed by Governor on July 29. Chapter No. 107 [Effective Rule].
Introduced: 12/20/2012
Sponsor: Senator Kevin de Leon
Issue Brief: Guns
Summary: Requires the Attorney General to maintain copies of ammunition purchase permits, ammunition transactions and ammunition vendor licenses. Requires an ammunition purchaser to be authorized by the Department of Justice. Provides the date when only a licensed ammunition vendor may sell ammunition. Requires verification of identity. Relates to ammunition sales location requirements. Exempts gun shows and events. Relates to the Prohibited Armed Persons File. Relates to enhancements to the background check system.
Status: In Assembly. Read second time. To third reading on June 12.
Introduced: 02/21/2014
Sponsor: Senator Lois Wolk
Issue Brief: Conservation Funding, General
Summary: Requires the expenditure of all federal grant moneys made available to the state under the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act be consistent with the Act. Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to post a brief description of projects funded by moneys received from the federal act on its Internet Web site. Requires the Department to consult with hunting advisory committees regarding any such project.
Status: To Governor on August 13.
Introduced: 02/20/2014
Sponsor: Assemblymember Jim Frazier, Co-Chair, California Outdoor Sporting Caucus
Issue Brief: General License
Summary: Relates to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Relates to tags, stamps, and licenses for the hunting of antelope, elk, deer, wild pigs, bear, and bighorn sheep upon payment of a fee. Requires the department to authorize a nonprofit organization designated by the department to assist in the sale of these tags to retain a percentage of the amount of the sale price of the tag, plus any applicable credit card fees.
Status: Passed Senate. To Assembly for concurrence on August 11.
Intro Date: 01/27/2014
Sponsor: Representative Jack Franks, Member, Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus
Issue Brief: Seniors, Veterans, and Active Duty Military Hunting and Angling Privileges
Summary: Amends the Fish and Aquatic Life Code; provides that the fee shall be reduced for all sport fishing licenses, salmon stamps and inland trout stamps for residents over 75 years old who are enrolled in the Benefit Access Program; amends the Wildlife Code; provides that the fee for a hunting license to hunt all species, State Migratory Waterfowl Stamps, State Habitat Stamps, State Pheasant Stamps, and State Furbearer Stamps shall be reduced for such residents.
Status: Signed by Governor on August 1. Public Act No. 800 [Effective Rule].
Introduced:11/20/2013
Sponsor: Representative Sarah Peake, Member, Massachusetts House Sportsmen’s Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Relates to the fines for the illegal taking of eels and elvers.
Status: Signed by Governor on July 31. Chapter No. 207-2014 [Effective Rule].
Introduced: 08/13/2014
Sponsor: Citizen Initiative
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Ensures that decisions affecting the taking of fish and game are made using principles of sound scientific fish and wildlife management, provides free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses for active members of the military, and provides appropriations for fisheries management activities within Michigan necessary for rapid response, prevention, control and/or elimination of aquatic invasive species.
Status: Passed Senate. Awaiting House action on August 27.
Introduced: 07/16/2014
Sponsor: Assemblyman Ira Hansen, Assembly Co-Chair, Nevada Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Clarifies provisions governing regulation of trapping of fur-bearing mammals
Status: Filed on July 16.
Introduced: 07/16/2014
Sponsor: Assemblyman Jim Wheeler, Member, Nevada Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Revises provisions governing trapping of wildlife.
Status: Filed on July 16.
Introduced: 07/16/2014
Sponsor: Senator James Settelmeyer, Member, Nevada Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Provides exemptions from registration requirements for the trapping of animals on private property
Status: Filed on July 16.
Introduced: 07/16/2014
Sponsor: Nevada Senate Committee on Natural Resources
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Revises provisions governing trapping of wildlife
Status: Filed on July 16.
Introduced: 08/04/2014
Sponsor: Nevada Dept. of Wildlife
Issue Brief: General License
Summary: Revises provisions governing processing applications for licenses, tags and permits issued by the Department of Wildlife; includes hunting and fishing
Status: Filed on August 4.
Introduced: 08/04/2014
Sponsor: Nevada Dept. of Wildlife
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Revises provisions governing the stamp required for hunting of migratory waterfowl
Status: Filed on August 4
Intro Date: 01/08/2014
Sponsor: Senator Jeff Woodburn, Co-Chair, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus
Issue Brief: Off Highway Vehicles
Summary: Adds a definition of a utility terrain vehicle used as an off highway recreational vehicle.
Status: Signed by Governor. Chapter No. 2014-281 [Effective Rule] on July 28.
Introduced: 01/8/2014
Sponsor: Senator Jeff Woodburn, Co-Chair, New Hampshire Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus
Issue Brief: Enforcement
Summary: Allows fish and game conservation officers to enforce the motor vehicle laws of the state in the operation of snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles, and off highway recreational vehicles; relates to trespass on posted land and transportation of firearms for hunting.
Status: Signed by Governor. Chapter No. 2014-249 [Effective Rule] on July 21.
Introduced: 04/28/2014
Sponsor: Senator Raymond Lesniak
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Prohibits sale, purchase, barter, or possession of ivory or rhinoceros horn and items containing ivory or rhinoceros horn, with limited exceptions
Status: Signed by Governor on August 1. Chapter No. 2014-22 [Effective Rule].
Intro Date: 05/01/2013
Sponsor: Senator Patrick Gallivan, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentives
Summary: Amends the real property tax law; relates to establishing a conservation easement agreement exemption in a town having a certain population based upon the latest decennial federal census.
Status: To Governor on August 1.
Intro Date: 05/19/2014
Sponsor: Assemblymember Patricia Fahy
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentive
Summary: Authorizes certain towns to adopt a local law to provide that real property whose interests or rights have been acquired for the purpose of the preservation of an open space or an open area may be partially exempt from local real property taxation, provided that the owner or owners of such property enter into a conservation easement agreement with the municipality
Status: Signed by Governor on August 1. Chapter No. 278 [Effective Rule].
Intro Date: 06/18/2013
Sponsor: Senator Cathy Young
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; relates to big game hunting in the county of Livingston.
Status: Signed by Governor. Chapter No. 142 [Effective Rule] on June 22.
Introduced: 05/15/2014
Sponsor: Senator Harry Brown
Issue Brief: Budget Bills, Ethics/Lobbying, Deer Management
Summary: Modifies the current operations and capital improvements appropriations act of 2013 and for other purposes; delays a sunset on credit for investing in renewable energy property.
Status: Signed by Governor on August 7. Session Law Number 2014-100
