Congressional Sportsmen Foundation: Tracking The Capitols March 17th 2009
Weekly update on federal and state legislation affecting sportsmen.
Any Capital City, USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Welcome to this weeks issue of the weekly “Tracking the Capitols” report. Tracking the Capitols is intended to keep you informed on the most pertinent and timely federal and state legislation affecting hunting, fishing, and conservation issues currently being tracked by the CSF and NASC policy team. Subscribers to the CSF electronic mailing list will receive this report in their email inbox every Tuesday morning.
USA Capital
National Park Service Bans Lead Ammunition & Fishing Tackle
On March 10, the National Park Service issued a news release announcing that lead ammunition and fishing tackle will be banned from use in national parks. Acting National Park Service Director Dan Wenk said in the release, “Our goal is to eliminate the use of lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle in parks by the end of 2010.”
In the following days, members of the hunting, fishing, and firearms community reacted with a unified call to reconsider the ban. It appears as though the park service made its decision without input from wildlife management and conservation groups, or ammunition manufacturers. CSF will continue to work to recall or overturn the ban.
IN THE STATES
Vermont HB 411 from Sportsmen’s Caucus Chair, Representative Steven C. Adams, proposes to provide a rebuttable presumption that a nuisance does not exist at an existing sport shooting range based on the hours of operation and number of firing positions, provided that such activity has not significantly increased since acquisition of the property by the person bringing a nuisance claim. The bill would exempt from Act 250 the construction of improvements at an existing sport shooting range that are intended to improve the safety of firing positions, buildings, or other facilities at the sport shooting range.
RANGE PROTECTION ISSUE BRIEF
Missouri HB 977 sponsored by Sportsmen’s Caucus Member, Representative Mark Parkinson, provides a sales tax holiday on purchases of outdoor sports equipment.
Texas SB 1788 sponsored by Sportsmen’s Caucus Member, Senator Jeff Wentworth, exempts handguns, rifles, shotguns, and ammunition from the state sales tax.
Alaska SB 146 sponsored by Sportsmen’s Caucus Member, Senator Fred J. Dyson, would exempt Alaska firearms and accessories from federal regulation.
Arkansas SB 874 sponsored by Sportsmen’s Caucus Chair, Senator Terry Smith, would establish the Arkansas sportsman stimulus bill.
Minnesota HB 1407 sponsored by Sportsmen’s Caucus Member, Representative Tom Hackbarth, proposed an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution providing the right of citizens to keep, bear, and use arms provided as fundamental and shall not be infringed.
Oregon HB 3089 sponsored by Sportsmen’s Caucus Chair, Representative Wayne Krieger, allows Oregon State Fish and Wildlife Commission to adopt by rule schedule of civil penalties for violations of wildlife laws and establishes damages for unlawful taking or killing of certain wildlife at a maximum of five years’ imprisonment, $125,000 fine, or both.
New York AB 6623 sponsored by Sportsmen’s Caucus Chair, Assemblywoman Ginny Fields, allows veterans of the armed forces of the United States to fish for free in state parks under the jurisdiction of a state agency.
North Carolina SB 515 authored by Sportsmen’s Caucus Member, Senator Neal Hunt, was filed to prohibit the placing of live foxes or coyotes in enclosed areas for the purpose of field trials or the training of dogs.
About:
We can have the best wildlife habitat imaginable and a record number of people who buy fishing and hunting licenses, but it won’t matter if misguided laws and regulations are made at the federal and state levels that negatively impact our outdoor traditions. Keeping sportsmen’s issues front and center is what the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation does. Day in and day out, our sole focus is on providing a voice for sportsmen in the political arena. Serving as the first line of defense in protecting America’s outdoor traditions as well as promoting the sportsmen’s agenda through the collective muscle of sportsmen’s caucuses.