Legislative News
The following are a few bills that are going through the Maryland General Assembly that are very important; your opinions and action are needed:
- SB 33 (Right to Hunt, Fish, and Harvest Wild Game)
Proposing an amendment to the Maryland Constitution that establishes the right of every person to hunt, fish, or harvest wild game, subject to State law.
If this bill passes through the General Assembly, a ballot question will be submitted to the qualified voters of the State of Maryland for their adoption or rejection. If this amendment is not ratified then anti-hunting groups will continue to come to the General Assembly in attempts to slowly chip away at the rights of Marylanders to hunt, fish, and/or harvest wild game.
- SB 516 (Maryland Assault Weapons Ban of 2010)
Designating specified firearms as assault weapons; prohibiting with specified exceptions a person from transporting an assault weapon into the State or possessing, selling, offering to sell, transferring, or receiving an assault weapon; requiring the Handgun Roster Board to compile and maintain a roster of prohibited assault weapons; etc.
- SB 645 (Firearm Safety Act of 2010)
Authorizing an investigative or law enforcement officer acting in a criminal investigation to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication in order to provide evidence of the commission of specified offenses relating to the sale, rental, purchase, or transfer of a regulated firearm under specified circumstances; prohibiting a person who has previously been convicted of specified crimes from possessing a firearm; requiring a valid Maryland handgun purchase permit for the purchase or receipt of a regulation firearm; etc.
These two bills are attempts to further restrict Marylanders from legally possessing handguns. If these two bills pass, Marylanders will face harsher restrictions on their Second Amendment right to bear arms.
Again, your opinion and voice on these bills are extremely important. We urge you to contact your representatives and inform them of your opinion on these bills. To contact or find your representatives, please visit the Maryland General Assembly Homepage (http://mlis.state.md.us/) and click on the link to either "Contact" or "Find" a Legislator. Thank you for your interest and support in protecting the right to hunt.
Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus Triumphs for 5th Consecutive Year in Annapolis
Advancing the Sportsmen's Agenda in the Halls of State Government
Maryland remains at the forefront of policy-related achievements for its sportsmen's community. What makes this so remarkable is the fact that Maryland is the home of the Humane Society of the United States - this country's premiere animal-rights organizations whose National mantra is to "eliminate hunting one state at a time".
With the 2006 Maryland General Assembly having adjourned on Monday, April 10th, we can now reflect on another year of impressive policy-related achievement for sportsmen's rights in Maryland.
Minimum Age Hunting: Maryland does not have a minimum age hunting law. Instead, youth under the age of 16 must posses a Hunter's Safety Course in order to hunt. In October 2006, an 8-year old girl harvested the first black bear in Maryland's second open season in far Western Maryland - prior to last year, the season had been closed for 53 years for conservation purposes.
Afterwards, an uproar resonated throughout the State for a minimum age hunting law to be enacted by the 2006 Maryland General Assembly. Due diligence by the Caucus/Foundation partnership prevented the bill from even being introduced.
Tidal Fisheries Management Strategy: Maryland's Department of Natural Resources announced in Fall 2006 that two Rivers - Choptank and Nanticoke - would be open for commercial harvesting of yellow perch for the first time in 17 years. The recreational fishing community of Maryland loudly voiced its opposition and sought intervention by the Caucus. Hovering in the background was serious consideration to advancing statutory restrictive measures on DNR via the 2006 Session. However, the Caucus intervened and prevailed in securing language in the State's fiscal year 2007 State Budget that requires DNR to work with specific organizations - commercial and recreational interests - on enhancing the State's method of managing for tidal fisheries, in the meantime, the proposed expansion of commercial harvesting in the two Rivers was put on hold.
The Governor has no official role in approving the budget language, meaning it is already approved and awaiting the action of the impacted parties, a good thing for the recreational fishing community of Maryland which has already expressed widespread appreciation.