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.

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: Bill sponsors who are members of the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses are noted in bold.

Due to the high volume of legislation, Tracking the Capitols only includes bills that have had recent status updates. With questions about specific bills, please contact your 
Updates for the week of 
August 14, 2017
NORTHEAST
NORTHEASTERN STATES

Introduced: 01/04/2017
Sponsor: Representative William R. Tuell, Member, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Guns (General)
Summary:  Establishes certification standards and a training program for the state supervisor of the forest protection unit of the Bureau of Forestry within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and forest rangers.
Status: 128th Legislature, First Regular Session adjourned. Carried over to next session on August 2

Introduced: 03/02/2017
Sponsor: Representative Stephen S. Stanley
Issue Brief: General
Summary:  Reduces the number of moose hunting permits that may be issued to nonresidents from 10% to 8% and allows up to 2% of moose hunting permits to be issued to hunting outfitters instead of basing the number of permits issued to hunting outfitters upon the number of permits available over 3,140, which is the current law.
Status: 128th Legislature, First Regular Session adjourned. Carried over to next session on August 2

Introduced: 04/06/2017
Sponsor: Representative Ellie Espling, Member, Maine Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Public Access to Private Lands
Summary:  Provides a specified sum per year to the Landowner Relations Fund, which funds the landowner relations program within the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to improve or maintain good relationships between landowners and outdoor recreationists.
Status: 128th Legislature, First Regular Session adjourned. Carried over to next session on August 2

Introduced: 03/08/2017
Sponsor: Representative Bradley H. Jones, Member, Massachusetts Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentives
Summary:  Increases the limit on tax credits for donations of certified land to public or private conservation agencies.
Status: From Joint Committee on Revenue: Amended by substitution of New Draft. For further action see H 3855 on August 3

Introduced: 03/08/2017
Sponsor: Representative Stephen Kulik, Member, Massachusetts Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentives
Summary:  Increases the maximum tax credit allowed for land conservation incentives.
Status: From Joint Committee on Revenue: Amended by substitution of New Draft. For further action see H 3855 on August 3

Introduced: 07/31/2017
Sponsor: Joint Committee on Revenue
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentives
Summary:  Relates to land conservation incentives.
Status: New Draft for S 1585, S 1586, S 1657, H 2607 and H 2614. To House Committee on Ways and Means on August 3

Introduced: 01/23/2017
Sponsor: Senator Kathleen O'Connor Ives
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentives
Summary:  Relates to land conservation incentives.
Status: From Joint Committee on Revenue: Amended by substitution of New Draft. For further action see H 3855 on August 3

Introduced: 01/23/2017
Sponsor: Senator Kathleen O'Connor Ives
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentives
Summary:  Relates to land conservation.
Status: From Joint Committee on Revenue: Amended by substitution of New Draft. For further action see H 3855 on August 3
 
Introduced: 01/23/2017
Sponsor: Senator Bruce E. Tarr
Issue Brief: Conservation Tax Incentives
Summary:  Increases the land conservation tax credit.
Status: From Joint Committee on Revenue: Amended by substitution of New Draft. For further action see H 3855 on August 3

Introduced: 02/16/2016
Sponsor: Senator Jeff Van Drew, Member, New Jersey Angling and Hunting Conservation Caucus
Issue Brief: Dog Tethering
Summary:  Establishes requirements concerning necessary care of dogs, domestic companion animals and service animals, and for tethering of dogs; provides that it is unlawful to expose any dog, domestic companion animal or service animal to adverse environmental conditions for more than specified minutes, unless the animal has continuous access to proper shelter; provides for evacuation with such animals due to emergencies.
Status: Signed by Governor on August 7

Introduced: 03/07/2016
Sponsor: Senator Jeff Van Drew, Member, New Jersey Angling and Hunting Conservation Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary:  Designates the striped bass, Morone saxatilis, as the New Jersey saltwater fish; redesignates the brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, as the New Jersey State Freshwater Fish.
Status: Signed by Governor on August 7

Introduced: 01/30/2017
Sponsor: Assembly Member Steve Englebright
Issue Brief: Hunter Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation
Summary:  Relates to youth pheasant hunting days on Long Island.
Status: To Governor on August 9
 
Introduced: 05/11/2017
Sponsor: Assembly Member Addie Jenne, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary:  Relates to authorizing angling by a single individual with up to three lines in freshwater; extends effectiveness of provisions for two years.
Status: To Governor on August 9

Introduced: 05/15/2017
Sponsor: Assembly Member Brian Kolb, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary:  Makes provisions authorizing big game hunting in Seneca county permanent.
Status: To Governor on August 9

Introduced: 03/06/2017
Sponsor: Senator Robert Ortt, Member, New York Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary:  Amends the Environmental Conservation Law; authorizes hunting of big game with rifles in the county of Orleans.
Status: To Governor on August 9

SOUTHEAST
SOUTHEASTERN STATES

There are currently no updates.


MIDWEST MIDWESTERN STATES

Introduced:  02/07/2017
Sponsor: Representative Norine Hammond, Member, Illinois Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Amends the State Forest Act; provides that plants and plant materials secured or produced shall be used exclusively for conservation purposes, such as for wildlife habitat, erosion control, energy conservation, natural community restoration, general reforestation, research, commemorative plantings, and educational programs such as Arbor Day unless otherwise agreed through a memorandum of understanding with the Green Industry Association which would allow the sale of plants as liner stock
Status: Signed by Governors Sportsmen's Caucus Member Governor Bruce Rauner on August 11
 
Introduced: 02/10/2017
Sponsor: Senator Don Harmon
Issue Brief: Wolf in Sheeps Clothing/Animal Rights Groups
Summary: Amends the Wildlife Code; provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to trap bobcat in this State at any time; provides that no person shall knowingly sell, offer for sale, or purchase a bobcat pelt of a bobcat taken in this State; makes conforming changes.
Status: Rule 3-9(b) / Re-referred to Assignments Committee on August 4
 
Introduced: 02/10/2017
Sponsor: Senator Don Harmon
Issue Brief: Wolf in Sheeps Clothing/Animal Rights Groups
Summary: Amends the Wildlife Code; provides that prior to the opening of a new hunting season for an animal that was listed on the endangered or threatened species list in the past 15 years, the Department of Natural Resources shall develop a management plan including: an overall goal for the continued growth of the animal's population and return of a stable population in all prime habitat areas throughout the State for that animal; an analysis demonstrating the impact of hunting in different regions of the State.
Status: Rule 3-9(b) / Re-referred to Assignments Committee on August 4
 
Introduced: 02/10/2017
Sponsor: Senator Don Harmon
Issue Brief: Lead Ammunition and Fishing Tackle Bans
Summary: Amends the Wildlife Code; provides that it may be unlawful to use lead ammunition to take wildlife in State parks or natural areas; defines lead ammunition as a projective containing one or more percent lead by weight; makes conforming changes.
Status: Rule 3-9(b) / Re-referred to Assignments Committee on August 4
 
Introduced: 02/10/2017
Sponsor: Senator Don Harmon
Issue Brief: General
Summary: Amends the Endangered Species Protection Act; provides that the Endangered Species Protection Board shall without regard to the Personnel Code, employ and fix the compensation of necessary staff; provides that the Board shall employ an executive director to oversee operations of the Board; provides that the Board is solely responsible for hiring, firing, and management of the executive director.
Status: Rule 3-9(b) / Re-referred to Assignments Committee on August 4
 
Introduced: 8/02/17
Sponsor : Representative Nick Milroy and Representative Joel Kleefisch, Co-Chairs, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Terminally Ill Youth Hunting Opportunities
Summary: Relates to hunting approvals issued to certain terminally ill individuals.
Status: To Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage on August 2
 
Introduced: 8/07/17
Sponsor : Representative James Edming, Member, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief Modern Restraining Animal Traps
Summary: Relates to the maximum height of pole traps.
Status: To Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage on August 7
 
Introduced: 8/03/17
Sponsor : Senator Terry Moulton and Senator Mark Miller, Co-Chairs, Wisconsin Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Issue Brief: Terminally Ill Youth Hunting Opportunities
Summary: Relates to hunting approvals issued to certain terminally ill individuals.
Status: To Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining, and Forestry on August 3
 
Introduced: 8/03/17
Sponsor : Senator Jerry Petrowski
Issue Brief Modern Restraining Animal Traps
Summary: Relates to the maximum height of pole traps.
Status: To Senate Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining, and Forestry on August 3


WESTWESTERN STATES

 There are currently no updates.
        SCI SCI is a proud partner of CSF and
sponsors in part TRACKING THE CAPITOLS

 
 
Working with Congress, governors and state legislatures to protect and advance hunting, angling, recreational shooting, and trapping.
 
For more information on the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation visit: 
www.SportsmensLink.org

For additional information on legislation included in this report please contact the appropriate representative: 
 
Senior Director, Northeastern States Brent Miller, at 202-543-6850 x13, or brent@sportsmenslink.org
Director, Southeastern States Bee Frederick, at 202-590-0475, or bee@sportsmenslink.org
Senior Director, Midwestern States Chris Horton, at 501-865-1475, or chris@sportsmenslink.org
Senior Director, Western States Andy Treharne, at 303-789-7589, or andy@sportsmenslink.org


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