Wednesday, March 13, 2024

THE STEELE DEAL - REMOVES SUNDAY HUNTING BLUE LAW, STRENGTHENS TRESPASS, DEVELOPS ONLINE NETWORK

CONTACT:
Hunters United for Sunday Hunting
TELEPHONE: 717-350-6741

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE & DISTRIBUTION

Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, Hunter Nation - PA, and Keystone Conservation Action would like to issue the following statement to announce the introduction of HB2106, HB2107, HB2108 by PA Representative Mandy Steele, (D) Allegheny County.  This legislative package will: 
  1. Remove the blue law prohibiting hunting on Sunday.

  2. Strengthen trespass laws.

  3. Connect hunters, agriculturalists, and farmers by creating an online network to streamline the process for better interaction and results for those farmers seeking help with crop damage.

  4. To the extent possible in the PA Game Commissioner consideration, selection, and appointment process one of the nine commissioners be actively engaged in a normal agricultural operation as defined by the Right-to-Farm-Law and knowledgeable in the area of wildlife management. 


How we got here. 

Hunter-conservation identified their number one issue as removing the prohibitive blue law restricting hunting on Sunday.  Agriculture identified its number one issue as being economic both locally and as a whole through losses associated with crop damage. 


On January 30, 2024, PA Representative Mandy Steele (D) introduced and announced proposed legislation to remove the blue law prohibiting hunting on Sunday to provide the needed time for hunters to connect with those farmers and agriculturalists who were asking for help in controlling the wildlife from damaging their crops.  The announcement of this proposed legislation set the news cycle to abound.

A meeting was orchestrated for February 19, 2024, where all the active players had confirmed their participation; Rep. Steele, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, Hunter Nation-PA, Keystone Conservation Action, Pennsylvania Game Commission, and PA Farm Bureau. Everyone was open, considerate, and frank and understood that any deal would have to be fair and not one-sided. That meeting set everyone on a very high-paced course to get something done. 

The days that followed allowed for everyone's concerns to be heard and addressed and produced equitable legislation for approval.  It is important to emphasize that neither group got everything they wanted they are getting what is needed as explained in the bill's memorandum and proposed legislation. 

On March 4, 2024, a final meeting was held with legal counsel to review language and make the proper corrections to meet and fit into established rules, laws, procedures, and legislative standards.  Lawyers took the rest of the week to finish the audit and finalize the documents for publication. 

The bill collection of HB2106, HB2107, HB2108 is formally announced and introduced into the legislative cycle ending 2024.

It is important to note that without the bipartisanship and willingness to work together of the above individuals and organizations, the legislative package would not exist.  This is a great example of what can happen when everyone is willing to come to the middle for a common goal.

There is much optimism and hope that this three-bill bundle will make it through the legislative process for both the PA House of Representatives as well as the PA Senate.  There is legislative support to get this done. At the root of it, this is a bipartisan political issue.  As Rep. Mandy Steele has said, “By supporting hunters, we are preserving forests, managing wildlife, and creating economic growth in Pennsylvania.”


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For more information about this topic, please contact Hunters United for Sunday Hunting at 717-350-6741 or email at huntersforsundayhunting@gmail.com

View our Blog - https://huntersforsundayhunting.blogspot.com/


Hunters United for Sunday Hunting Mission Statement - Remove the prohibition of Sunday hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law through education, and influence legislatures to change the law accordingly.



 

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