Hunters United for Sunday Hunting: Rep. Mandy Steele

Sunday, June 16, 2024

NO SUBSTANCE, NO VALUE, NO PURPOSE. SAY NO TO THE 16 AMENDMENTS FOR THE STEELE DEAL

CONTACT: Hunters United for Sunday Hunting
TELEPHONE: 717-350-6741
EMAIL: huntersforsundayhunting@gmail.com
WEBSITE: facebook.com/HuntersUnitedForSundayHunting

Correspondence For:

Rep. Joanna E. McClinton

Rep. Matthew D. Bradford

Rep. Dan L. Miller

Rep. Bryan Cutler

Rep. Timothy J. O'Neal

My name is Kevin Askew, I am the executive director of Hunters United for

Sunday Hunting, the lead organization working to end the archaic blue law prohibiting hunting on Sunday. I am addressing you as the decision makers and leadership team for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. First, I recognize the tough and stressful task you all have in navigating, deciding, and tabling quality legislation for a vote. It has to be a daunting duty. This brings me to the subject at hand The Steele Deal of HB2106, HB2107, HB2108, and the 16 irrelevant and ridiculous amendments that have been introduced for consideration and inclusion. These amendments have no substance or value and serve no purpose being added to The Steele Deal. They just don’t.

This has been a nearly 53-year process getting to this current position and point of removing the blue law prohibiting hunting on Sunday bringing PA into the 21st Century societal standards. Rep. Mandy Steele has done a tremendous job, one that could not be done in all those years of bringing all the stakeholders of hunter-conservation, agriculture, Pennsylvania Game Commission, law enforcement, and legislators to the bargaining table with the common goal of penning a fair deal for all, The Steele Deal.

Take a moment and put all the politics and emotions aside. Simply and frankly The Steele Deal provides everything needed not everything wanted. HB2106 removes the archaic blue law deemed unenforceable in 1976 by the PA Supreme Court. HB2106 also strengthens trespass laws something that agriculture and hunter-conservation have both wanted. HB2107 provides a tool that will connect hunters and agriculture to assist with the crop damage issues being experienced throughout the commonwealth by farmers. HB2108 is a hunter-conservation and agriculture mission multiplier when viewed and interpreted correctly. It quantifies and qualifies what has existed for at least a decade on the PGC commissioner board as an agriculturist. That applicant will now have to meet the criteria of being knowledgeable in the area of wildlife management as well as actively engaged in a normal agricultural operation as defined in the Right-to-Farm Law.

This legislation is not about Rep. Mandy Steele and what she wants. It’s not about politically punishing or controlling the PGC. It’s not about any individual politician's idealogy. It’s not about one political party versus another. It’s not about your personal feelings as a leader. What The Steele Deal is all about is doing the right thing and ending this 53-year benign fight to remove the blue law while benefiting agriculture and updating the long-needed trespass laws. This is about allowing free people to be free people as stated in the PA Constitution “All men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness.”

French philosopher and author Jean-Paul Sarte wrote “Only the guy who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat.” I implore you as leaders to do the right thing. Do not molest The Steele Deal with any of the 16 irrelevant amendments. They are of no value and do no good for the quality piece of legislation presented by Rep. Mandy Steele and sponsors. All stakeholders have worked on and agreed to The Steele Deal. Do not allow those who are not rowing the boat to only rock it.

You as leaders are on the cusp of history. It is time to end the stupidity and get this done. Five decades is long enough. Don’t be the leaders that make it six decades.

Thank you for your time. Please do not hesitate to contact me for further

discussion on this issue.

///Kevin B. Askew///

Executive Director, Hunters United for Sunday Hunting

Reference:

The outdoor industry [including hunting/shooting/trapping] added more value to

our commonwealth’s gross domestic product than all of Pennsylvania’s farms,

all of Pennsylvania’s oil and gas wells, and even all of Pennsylvania’s lawyers.

2021 Bureau of Economic Analysis, US Department of Commerce.

PA House Bill 2106

PA House Bill 2107

PA House Bill 2108

Steele Deal 16 Amendments

Pennsylvania Constitution

Misc:

Western Pennsylvania farmers support Sunday deer hunting legislation

Hunters Celebrate More Than 25 Percent Surge Over Past Five Years

Monday, April 8, 2024

THE STEELE DEAL TESTIMONY - HB2106, HB2107, HB2108

April 9, 2024.

Testimony to Pennsylvania House Game and Fisheries Committee for Informational Meeting on HB2106, HB2107, HB2108.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Members

My name is Kevin Askew, I am the executive director for Hunters United for Sunday Hunting, the lead organization working to end the archaic blue law prohibiting hunting on Sunday. Our mission: Remove the prohibition of Sunday Hunting in PA Title 34 Game Law through education, and influence legislatures to change the law accordingly. This educational effort has brought us to this meeting today regarding Pennsylvania House Bills 2106, 2107, and 2108; the Steele Deal as it is now being called.

How did we get here? Simple, by Representative Mandy Steele doing her due diligence for eight months listening, learning, and having conversations on how to help grow the booming outdoor industry in PA while also assisting agriculture in its goals. 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 locally and as a whole through losses associated with crop damage.

As you are aware there is much crossover between the hunter-conservation community and the agriculture community. That is why the inclusiveness of the Steele Deal is a solid piece of legislation.

HB2106 removes the blue law prohibiting hunting on Sunday and provides the Pennsylvania Game Commission with full regulatory authority to set seasons and bag limits seven days a week. HB 2106 also strengthens trespass laws by outlining the requirements and responsibilities for landowners and hunters alike.

HB2107 merely finishes what has been started. It is known the PGC has been working towards a revision and updates to the hunter agriculture crop damage system. Be it that all legalities and mechanics for implementation can be worked out. HB2107 finishes the puzzle of connecting 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.

HB2108 is a hunter-conservation and agriculture mission multiplier when viewed and interpreted correctly. There are currently two sitting agriculturalists on the PGC Board of Commissioners. HB2108 updates and provides the needed defining criteria for the best selection possible for the most qualified candidate. That applicant will now have to meet the criteria of being knowledgeable in the area of wildlife management as well as actively engaged in a normal agricultural operation as defined in the Right-to-Farm Law.

During my tenure, one of the common suggestions that myself and my team have received from legislators is ‘that the hunter community and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau need to work together. Bring us a deal that you all can agree to.’ We thank Representative Steele for getting us to this point. Abraham Lincoln said; “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.”

Together the Steele Deal legislative sponsors, hunter-conservation, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau have risen to the occasion, thought anew, and acted anew. The expectation is that you and your colleagues will do the same. This is not a partisan political issue of Democrat versus Republican. It’s a Commonwealth issue of doing the right thing and ending the 342-year-old blue law and the 50-year benign seven-day-a-week hunting issue.

The Steele Deal is a good deal; it provides for everything needed, not everything wanted. The question is do you have the insight to see this bipartisan issue as it is and get it to the Governor's desk for signature into law? History indicates that you do.

Thank you for your time.