HB 391, a bill which would increase public access to tidal waters, did not pass the Louisiana House of Representatives yesterday. 37 State Reps voted in favor of the bill, and 59 voted against it.
Click here
for the official tally and to find out if your State Rep voted for or against the bill.
Members of the Louisiana Sportsmen's Coalition are understandably disappointed following yesterday's vote.
Nevertheless, the Louisiana Sportsmen's Coalition is proud of the progress this effort has made. And you, as a supporter of public water access, should be proud too.
Despite powerful opposition and little time to prepare for a Legislative push, our members and supporters played a large role in getting a public water access bill passed by a House Committee and then earning 37 yes votes from members of the Louisiana House of Representatives.
Our voices have made a tremendous impression in the State Capitol. Immediately following the vote, LaSC board members met with Legislatures to discuss next steps, and we believe the table is set for future Legislation addressing this issue.
This was always going to be a multi-year fight, and we are optimistic that the progress made in this year's Legislative session has moved up the expected timeline.
For those of you who are currently engaged in the fight for public access, here are some things you can do to help the effort:
- Convince businesses from which you purchase fishing and outdoors goods to add their names to our Sign-On Letter.
- RESPECTFULLY send an email to the 59 members of the House who voted against HB 391 and ask them to reconsider their position in the future. Ask them what stopped them from voting for the bill. If they respond with an answer, please discretely pass along this valuable information to us as [email protected]. Some of these Reps may have voted yes had one or two aspects of the bill been different, so in order to possibly solicit their support in the future, it is very important to be cordial in your comments to them. You can email those who voted against the bill simultaneously or individually here.
Thank you to all of you who have supported this effort. Keep your heads up and stay focused on the big picture. We've successfully brought this fight to the State Capitol, and we will win this fight if you stay engaged. Please stay engaged.
