Post by pfsc on Jun 18, 2015 12:18:25 GMT -5
Senate Game and Fisheries
6/16/15, 12:30 p.m., 8E-A East Wing
By Elly Henry, PLS
The committee met to consider bills.
SB 77 Alloway, Richard - (PN 53) Amends Title 34 (Game) lowering the acreage requirement for dog training areas from 100 acres to 50 acres minimum. Removes the requirement to obtain a special permit to lawfully trap and hunt furbearers on club grounds and adds language providing the hunting or trapping of furbearers or other protected game animals may only occur during seasons established by the Game Commission. Further provides a person may not hunt big game on a dog training area without permission from the permittee unless the area is conspicuously posted open to the public for big game hunting. Also adds language requiring a roadway, vehicle entrance or pedestrian pathway entering or bordering a dog training area to be posted prior to October 1 of each year with either a legible notice to warn a trespasser of the purpose of the area or by legible no trespassing signs endorsed by the permittee. Also requires the endorsement to note the purpose of the area. Also provides for unlawful acts. Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
Sen. Rich Alloway (R-Franklin) noted that this proposal was voted unanimously out of the committee last session, and that the dog clubs were in support of the bill. The intent is simply to make it easier and more convenient for dog trainers, he said.
SB 737 Hutchinson, Scott - (PN 763) Amends Title 34 (Game), in hunting and furtaking, further providing for unlawful devices and methods adding that semiautomatic rifle may be used to hunt coyotes and woodchucks in accordance with regulations of the commission except during regular firearm season for deer, regular firearm season for bear, and spring and fall season for turkey. Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango), the sponsor of the legislation, rose to briefly explain the bill. Like Sen. Alloway, Sen. Hutchinson reminded members that SB 737 is a reintroduction of legislation that was voted favorably by the committee last session. The bill would permit the limited use of semi-automatic weapons for hunting coyotes and woodchucks in accordance with regulations established by the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission. He called SB 737 a “commonsense bill,” saying, too, that he believed that every other state has similar provisions.
Sen. Sean Wiley (D-Erie) wanted confirmation that the Game Commission would still need to approve the parameters of allowing the use of semi-automatic weapons. Sen. Hutchinson responded that the Commission could further limit usage, using time of day as an example. He noted that the legislation applied only to coyotes and woodchucks, and that the Commission would need legislative approval to expand the application to other species. Sen. Wiley then commented that, as a non-hunter, SB 737 seems extreme. Sen. Hutchinson reiterated that every other state has some allowance for their use in hunting various species of animal, to which Chairman Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) confirmed that all other states do. Sen. Bob Mensch (R-Montgomery) added that the term “semi-automatic” meant only that a gun does not need to be cocked. Sen. Alloway said that he would vote favorably for the bill, but that he would consider offering an amendment on the Senate floor to lift all restrictions, and trust in the Game Commission to authorize appropriate regulations. Sen. Hutchinson agreed that he would also like to go further with the legislation, but that he had doubts that such an expansion would have the “oomph” to pass the Senate.
HB 263 Gabler, Matt - (PN 267) Amends Title 34 (Game) to allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to regulate the use of gas or air powered weapons for hunting purposes. Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
Sen. Alloway asked if representation of the Game Commission or the House was present to speak to the impetus behind the bill. Gregory Raffensperger, Executive Director of the House Game and Fisheries Committee, rose to explain that new technologies are resulting in new and different weaponry. By lifting restrictions, it would allow for the Game Commission to implement those restrictions as they see fit. The Commission has researched and supports the legislation, as does the Commission’s board, he said. Most of Pennsylvania’s surrounding states have similar provisions, he said, highlighting the new technologies and heightened sophistication of modern weapons.
HB 455 Keller, Mark - (PN 503) Amends Title 34 (Game) further providing for unlawful activities by removing the prohibition on refusing to answer certain questions of the commission regarding animals. Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mark Keller (R-Perry), told committee members that this, too, was a bill that passed unanimously out of committee last session. According to Rep. Keller, HB 455 speaks to self-incrimination on the part of an individual questioned by the Game Commission. He called it “a piece of law that needs to be corrected,” and noted that the Commission agrees that the provision is “archaic.”
6/16/15, 12:30 p.m., 8E-A East Wing
By Elly Henry, PLS
The committee met to consider bills.
SB 77 Alloway, Richard - (PN 53) Amends Title 34 (Game) lowering the acreage requirement for dog training areas from 100 acres to 50 acres minimum. Removes the requirement to obtain a special permit to lawfully trap and hunt furbearers on club grounds and adds language providing the hunting or trapping of furbearers or other protected game animals may only occur during seasons established by the Game Commission. Further provides a person may not hunt big game on a dog training area without permission from the permittee unless the area is conspicuously posted open to the public for big game hunting. Also adds language requiring a roadway, vehicle entrance or pedestrian pathway entering or bordering a dog training area to be posted prior to October 1 of each year with either a legible notice to warn a trespasser of the purpose of the area or by legible no trespassing signs endorsed by the permittee. Also requires the endorsement to note the purpose of the area. Also provides for unlawful acts. Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
Sen. Rich Alloway (R-Franklin) noted that this proposal was voted unanimously out of the committee last session, and that the dog clubs were in support of the bill. The intent is simply to make it easier and more convenient for dog trainers, he said.
SB 737 Hutchinson, Scott - (PN 763) Amends Title 34 (Game), in hunting and furtaking, further providing for unlawful devices and methods adding that semiautomatic rifle may be used to hunt coyotes and woodchucks in accordance with regulations of the commission except during regular firearm season for deer, regular firearm season for bear, and spring and fall season for turkey. Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-Venango), the sponsor of the legislation, rose to briefly explain the bill. Like Sen. Alloway, Sen. Hutchinson reminded members that SB 737 is a reintroduction of legislation that was voted favorably by the committee last session. The bill would permit the limited use of semi-automatic weapons for hunting coyotes and woodchucks in accordance with regulations established by the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission. He called SB 737 a “commonsense bill,” saying, too, that he believed that every other state has similar provisions.
Sen. Sean Wiley (D-Erie) wanted confirmation that the Game Commission would still need to approve the parameters of allowing the use of semi-automatic weapons. Sen. Hutchinson responded that the Commission could further limit usage, using time of day as an example. He noted that the legislation applied only to coyotes and woodchucks, and that the Commission would need legislative approval to expand the application to other species. Sen. Wiley then commented that, as a non-hunter, SB 737 seems extreme. Sen. Hutchinson reiterated that every other state has some allowance for their use in hunting various species of animal, to which Chairman Mario Scavello (R-Monroe) confirmed that all other states do. Sen. Bob Mensch (R-Montgomery) added that the term “semi-automatic” meant only that a gun does not need to be cocked. Sen. Alloway said that he would vote favorably for the bill, but that he would consider offering an amendment on the Senate floor to lift all restrictions, and trust in the Game Commission to authorize appropriate regulations. Sen. Hutchinson agreed that he would also like to go further with the legislation, but that he had doubts that such an expansion would have the “oomph” to pass the Senate.
HB 263 Gabler, Matt - (PN 267) Amends Title 34 (Game) to allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to regulate the use of gas or air powered weapons for hunting purposes. Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
Sen. Alloway asked if representation of the Game Commission or the House was present to speak to the impetus behind the bill. Gregory Raffensperger, Executive Director of the House Game and Fisheries Committee, rose to explain that new technologies are resulting in new and different weaponry. By lifting restrictions, it would allow for the Game Commission to implement those restrictions as they see fit. The Commission has researched and supports the legislation, as does the Commission’s board, he said. Most of Pennsylvania’s surrounding states have similar provisions, he said, highlighting the new technologies and heightened sophistication of modern weapons.
HB 455 Keller, Mark - (PN 503) Amends Title 34 (Game) further providing for unlawful activities by removing the prohibition on refusing to answer certain questions of the commission regarding animals. Effective in 60 days. - The bill was unanimously reported as committed.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mark Keller (R-Perry), told committee members that this, too, was a bill that passed unanimously out of committee last session. According to Rep. Keller, HB 455 speaks to self-incrimination on the part of an individual questioned by the Game Commission. He called it “a piece of law that needs to be corrected,” and noted that the Commission agrees that the provision is “archaic.”