Post by melody on Jun 9, 2014 20:31:38 GMT -5
House Game and Fisheries Committee
6/9/14, 12:00 p.m., Room G-50 Irvis Office Building
By Matt Hess, PLS
The committee met to consider bills.
HB 2230 Lucas, Greg - (PN 3493) Amends Title 34 (Game), in hunting and furtaking, to allow the use of semiautomatic rifles
with a caliber of .223 or less and a cartridge capacity of not more than six, for the hunting of coyotes, foxes and woodchucks
(groundhogs). Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
SB 1090 Baker, Lisa - (PN 1423) Amends Title 34 (Game) to allow any veteran who is eligible for disability compensation as
determined by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs and who meets all other qualifications of Title 34 and is otherwise
mentally and physically fit, shall be issued a resident hunting license at the cost of $1. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer
Number: 1370) - The bill was unanimously reported as amended.
A04924 by Causer clarifies that resident veterans considered 100 percent disabled still qualify for a free resident hunting
license and those considered between one and 99 percent disabled would qualify for the $1 license. The amendment was
unanimously adopted.
Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) questioned what the fiscal impact will be in the legislation is enacted. Chairman Martin
Causer (R-McKean) said there is not a House Fiscal Note but according to the Senate Fiscal Note there would be a
$356,000 revenue loss to the Game Commission. Chairman Causer noted that Chairman Gary Haluska (D-Cambria)’s
amendment would mitigate some of that cost.
A05145 by Haluska would make the $1 license available to resident veterans who are considered 60 percent disabled. The
amendment was unanimously adopted.
Chairman Haluska said the amendment would help mitigate the negative fiscal impact on the commission and explained
that a small hearing loss can qualify a veteran to be considered up to 30 percent disabled. “If you’re up to the 60 percentile
it really affects you in some way but very minor disabilities don’t affect people that much,” he stated.
SB 1102 Scarnati, Joseph - (PN 1424) Amends Title 30 (Fish) to allow disabled resident veterans of any war or armed
conflict eligible for disability benefits as determined by the US Department of Veterans Affairs to receive a fishing license
at the cost of $1. The veteran is required to provide paperwork regarding the disability upon application for the license.
Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number: 1377) - The bill was unanimously reported as amended.
A04923 by Causer clarifies that resident veterans considered 100 percent disabled still qualify for the free fishing license and
those considered between one and 99 percent disabled would qualify for the $1 license. The amendment was unanimously
adopted.
A05147 by Haluska would make the $1 license available to resident veterans who are considered 60 percent disabled. The
amendment was unanimously adopted.
Chairman Causer said the Senate Fiscal Note places the revenue loss to the Fish and Boat Commission at $119,000 but
the figure does not take into account Chairman Haluska’s amendment.
6/9/14, 12:00 p.m., Room G-50 Irvis Office Building
By Matt Hess, PLS
The committee met to consider bills.
HB 2230 Lucas, Greg - (PN 3493) Amends Title 34 (Game), in hunting and furtaking, to allow the use of semiautomatic rifles
with a caliber of .223 or less and a cartridge capacity of not more than six, for the hunting of coyotes, foxes and woodchucks
(groundhogs). Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
SB 1090 Baker, Lisa - (PN 1423) Amends Title 34 (Game) to allow any veteran who is eligible for disability compensation as
determined by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs and who meets all other qualifications of Title 34 and is otherwise
mentally and physically fit, shall be issued a resident hunting license at the cost of $1. Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer
Number: 1370) - The bill was unanimously reported as amended.
A04924 by Causer clarifies that resident veterans considered 100 percent disabled still qualify for a free resident hunting
license and those considered between one and 99 percent disabled would qualify for the $1 license. The amendment was
unanimously adopted.
Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) questioned what the fiscal impact will be in the legislation is enacted. Chairman Martin
Causer (R-McKean) said there is not a House Fiscal Note but according to the Senate Fiscal Note there would be a
$356,000 revenue loss to the Game Commission. Chairman Causer noted that Chairman Gary Haluska (D-Cambria)’s
amendment would mitigate some of that cost.
A05145 by Haluska would make the $1 license available to resident veterans who are considered 60 percent disabled. The
amendment was unanimously adopted.
Chairman Haluska said the amendment would help mitigate the negative fiscal impact on the commission and explained
that a small hearing loss can qualify a veteran to be considered up to 30 percent disabled. “If you’re up to the 60 percentile
it really affects you in some way but very minor disabilities don’t affect people that much,” he stated.
SB 1102 Scarnati, Joseph - (PN 1424) Amends Title 30 (Fish) to allow disabled resident veterans of any war or armed
conflict eligible for disability benefits as determined by the US Department of Veterans Affairs to receive a fishing license
at the cost of $1. The veteran is required to provide paperwork regarding the disability upon application for the license.
Effective in 60 days. (Prior Printer Number: 1377) - The bill was unanimously reported as amended.
A04923 by Causer clarifies that resident veterans considered 100 percent disabled still qualify for the free fishing license and
those considered between one and 99 percent disabled would qualify for the $1 license. The amendment was unanimously
adopted.
A05147 by Haluska would make the $1 license available to resident veterans who are considered 60 percent disabled. The
amendment was unanimously adopted.
Chairman Causer said the Senate Fiscal Note places the revenue loss to the Fish and Boat Commission at $119,000 but
the figure does not take into account Chairman Haluska’s amendment.