Alabama No “Net Loss of Hunting Land” Bill Heads to Governor
Alabama –-(AmmoLand.com)- The Alabama Senate recently passed legislation that will require the state to maintain at least the current acreage of hunting land that is available today.
The bill now awaits the signature of Governor Bob Riley (R).
House Bill 330, introduced by State Representative Craig Ford (D- Etowah), requires the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to open new hunting land if a department owned property currently open to hunting is closed.
The bill also directs the department to make every effort to open the replacement hunting land in the same region of the state as the property that was closed. The bill is similar to previous efforts in other states that were promoted by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA). The USSA has also developed and supported “no-net loss” legislative language at the national level including two current bills pending in Congress collectively known as the Hunting Heritage Protection Act.
HB 330 cleared both the House and Senate unanimously and the Governor’s office has indicated that he plans to sign the bill early next week.
“No net loss bills like House Bill 330 are very important in a time where access to hunting land is increasingly becoming difficult for sportsmen,” said Rob Sexton USSA vice president for government affairs. “We appreciate the efforts of all Alabama sportsmen who made this bill possible.”