Could Sunday hunting be on its' way? HB 1760

[Brick]

We can only wait for the bill to be published.
Text not available at this time.

See: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...type=B&bn=1760

Regular Session 2011-2012
House Bill 1760

Short Title: An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, permitting hunting on Sunday.
Prime Sponsor: Representative J. EVANS

[ChuckS]

Good news, I wonder how far it will get?

This is the email alert I got from John Evans yesterday:

The Pennsylvania Game Commission today endorsed removing the prohibition on hunting on Sundays in Pennsylvania, which is the basis of legislation I am sponsoring.

The endorsement came at a meeting of the Board of Game Commissioners in Harrisburg by a vote of 4-3. One commissioner abstained.

As chairman of the House Game and Fisheries Committee, I just introduced legislation, House Bill 1760, that would allow more hunting seasons in Pennsylvania to include Sundays. Currently, only coyotes, crows and foxes are permitted to be hunted on Sundays.

By removing such restrictions and prohibitions, we would be greatly improving access and opportunity for hunters across the Commonwealth at a time when our great hunting and sporting traditions are in jeopardy due to declining numbers and limited access. My proposal would not mandate hunting on the 52 Sundays in the year, but merely would allow the Game Commission to include Sundays as part of regular hunting seasons.

The implementation of Sunday hunting beyond the current provisions would also have a very positive economic effect on the Commonwealth as a whole, Evans reported. A 2005 study conducted by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee found that Sunday hunting would have an economic impact of up to $629 million in Pennsylvania and add 5,300 new jobs. The study found that adding only the two Sundays within the general deer season would provide an impact of $185 million, with 1,627 new jobs.

Pennsylvania, which imposed the ban in 1873, is one of 11 states that has some type of prohibition of hunting on Sundays.

Under House Bill 1760, the decisions of how many Sundays, as well as which Sundays during specific seasons for various game, would be made by the Game Commission taking into consideration factors such as wildlife management and habitat needs. In addition, Sunday hunting would not force any landowners to open their lands for hunting. Property owners will still retain all of the same rights currently afforded to them and can still decide if and when a hunter can access their land.

The legislation is supported by a vast number of statewide and national sportsmen’s and wildlife groups. It has been referred to the House Game and Fisheries Committee, which has already held one public hearing on the issue in Somerset County. Two additional public hearings are planned later in the summer for central and eastern Pennsylvania.

[thefirstndsecond]

Can we start getting behind this bill. I know I am going to contact my legislatures on this bill once I see the writing. What seasons will be included will it be just private property etc...

There is a similar bill in NJ but it is only on private property.

I also want to see what is done about the deer population, meaning a better evaluation of how doe permits per zone are issued.

Sunday Hunting Legislation Assigned a Bill Number in Pennsylvania

Sunday hunting legislation has been assigned a bill number. House Bill 1760, sponsored by state Representative John Evans (R-5), would permit hunting on Sunday.

The prohibition on Sunday hunting is an old blue law left on the books in just a handful of states. Hunters pump millions of dollars into habitat restoration and conservation and they are primarily responsible for healthy ecosystems throughout Pennsylvania.

Many hunters cannot introduce their children or friends to hunting because Saturday is their only opportunity, and they are competing with the numerous organized sports and other activities. Many hunters - be it young or old, novice or experienced - stop hunting because of the lack of opportunity, both in time and accessible land. The addition of an extra day in the field increases a person’s available time to enjoy our hunting heritage. This will invigorate essential hunter recruitment and retention efforts.

Sunday hunting will also bring a much-needed economic boost to rural areas. Every day that hunters are in the field, they spend money on gasoline, food, lodging and the dozens of other incidentals that go along with a day’s hunt. The ripple effect of this spending can have a major impact on a rural town or county. Comprehensive research from the National Shooting Sports Foundation shows that allowing hunting on Sundays in Pennsylvania would generate a total annual economic impact estimated at $764 million and create more than 8,000 jobs. In addition to this much needed economic spark, HB 1760 will clearly help advance and preserve the Keystone State’s rich hunting traditions, while enhancing biodiversity and wildlife populations.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners adopted a resolution supporting the repeal of the statutory prohibition on Sunday hunting. The Board formally recognized many of the negative impacts that the Sunday hunting ban has on Pennsylvania and gave their approval to abolish this outdated blue law.

If your state Representative is not already listed as a cosponsor of this legislation, urge him or her to become a cosponsor. Contact information for your state Representative can be found here.

Your NRA-ILA will continue to update you on this legislation as it moves through the Pennsylvania Legislature.

This alert is posted at: http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=6960.


I think depending on the language... we can get behind this, or will I hear well I don't have a dog in this fight it only pertains to hunters.... ?

[Brick]

Here's the text:

Remember, everything in brackets [like this] is to be deleted. Everything underlined this way is to be added.

So for those of you who support this measure I strongly suggest you write your Representative and tell them so.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL No. 1760
Session of 2011

INTRODUCED BY J. EVANS, STABACK, GERGELY, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, DALEY, DeLUCA, EVANKOVICH, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, GOODMAN, HORNAMAN, KILLION, METCALFE, MULLERY, MURT, SONNEY, VEREB, VULAKOVICH AND WHEATLEY, JUNE 29, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAME AND FISHERIES, JUNE 29, 2011

AN ACT


1 Amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, permitting hunting on Sunday.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Section 2303 of Title 34 of the Pennsylvania
6 Consolidated Statutes is repealed:
7 [§ 2303. Hunting on Sunday prohibited.
8 (a) General rule.--Except as otherwise provided in this
9 title, it is unlawful for any person to hunt for any furbearer
10 or game on Sunday.
11 (b) Construction of section.--This section shall not be
12 construed to prohibit:
13 (1) The training of dogs.
14 (2) The participation in dog trials as provided for in
15 this title.
16 (3) The removal of lawfully taken game or wildlife from
17 traps or the resetting of the traps on Sunday.
1 (b.1) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to:
2 (1) The hunting of foxes.
3 (2) The hunting of coyotes.
4 (3) Any hunting which occurs on noncommercial regulated
5 hunting grounds holding a valid permit under section 2928(b)
6 (2) (relating to regulated hunting grounds permits).
7 (c) Penalty.--A violation of this section is a summary
8 offense of the fifth degree.]
9 Section 2. Title 34 is amended by adding a section to read:
10 § 2303.1. Hunting on Sunday.
11 (a) General rule.--It shall be lawful for any person to hunt
12 for any furbearer or game on Sunday as provided by regulations
13 promulgated under subsection (b).
14 (b) Regulations.--The commission shall institute Sunday
15 hunting and shall promulgate appropriate regulations under
16 section 2102 (relating to regulations) within one year of the
17 effective date of this section.
18 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

[thefirstndsecond]

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/...r=1760&pn=2254


I like!!!

Sounds good. Expansion for all seasons!!!

Or? Will the Game commission change this once it is passed by the state?

I will back this measure and more people need to contact their reps.

I don't want to hear, well i doesn't effect me as a gun owner bblah blah.

I stood by those here for gun issues, stand by us on this.

Olive branch and don't complain about the clubs.

[thefirstndsecond]

Lets see if we can get email addresses in this thread.

I know it is the 4th weekend. I will do what I can.

[MastaVern]

I hope so. As mgmt in a retail store, Sunday's tend to be a short day so it is one of the easier days to take off, and it would defiantly benefit me, as well as a lot of hunters i would imagine.

[CBennett]

Meh looks like NY hunting license yet again so I can hunt 2X as much Sat and Sun....when you only got 2 days off gotta make the most of BOTH for hunting cant do that in PA. And no worrying about split seasons or any of that crap....when its deer season there its deer season..doe or buck dont matter.

[Yellowfin]

Good grief, did they fink out again and not get us Sunday hunting yet AGAIN? They must have less motivation than a common garden slug. Strange how they can find the time to spend as much money as income, property, sales, and liquor taxes bring in plus a lottery and tolls--very few states have all of those at the same time--but they can't get off their lazy butts and get enough coordination to get us Sunday hunting and legalize semi auto rifles for hunting?

[freesoul]

Good grief, did they fink out again and not get us Sunday hunting yet AGAIN? They must have less motivation than a common garden slug. Strange how they can find the time to spend as much money as income, property, sales, and liquor taxes bring in plus a lottery and tolls--very few states have all of those at the same time--but they can't get off their lazy butts and get enough coordination to get us Sunday hunting and legalize semi auto rifles for hunting?

whats in it for the state?