Legislation-Ben Lamb

[tjones]

Ben how about posting what died and where ya need help here?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Ben how about posting what died and where ya need help here?

I'm about dead.

Week three is fast and furious. We've been hit multiple times with some pretty bad bills in committee, but we've also had some good successes. We're working well with the Montana Bowhunters Association, and Headwaters (both are rock stars), as well as our usual allies at Trout Unlimited and Audubon and our great affiliated Rod and Gun Clubs. I'll try to get a more detailed update tonight after a couple of vodka tonics. If anyone wants more information, you can track our watchlist, and sign up for action alerts. Those options will get you some more real time updates on upcoming votes and actions needed, and I'll try to keep posts on here to a minimum.

This really is an all hands on deck session.

HB 148 - Game Retrieval - Tabled 19-1 - MWF Opposed

HB 151 - Elkhorns quota and landowner preference - Tabled - MWF Opposed

HB 159 - Strip FWP Commission authority to regulate ammo - Passed committee - MWF opposed

HB 173 Allow for illuminocks - Tabled - MWF Opposed (followed MBA's lead)


There's a ton of over stuff moving right now, and I'm getting ready to go testify on SB 212

There is also an anti-access bill coming up today for a hearing in House Agriculture that would undo the Mitchell Slough Ruling related to accessing braided streams (Bitterroot, Yellowstone, Bighorn).


Overall, the session is pretty anti-public land, and anti-public land hunter, with a number of bills that will move forward as the Legislature tries to get as many crammed through committee before Transmittal (Feb 24th).

We're up to two full time lobbyists w/ MWF now - Myself and former FWP Committee Chairman George Golie, plus two staff and an intern at the Headquarters.

 

[tjones]

Thanks Ben, keep up the good work!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Check us out on Facebook too!

 

[BuzzH]

Just for conversation...how many of these bright Ideas were brought up by Republicans?

 

[Dinkshooter]

Looks like an elephant sponsored HB 148. My personal favorite of the listed bills. You guys in MT are gonna have it so good if that goes through.

 

[mtmiller]

Thought 148 was pretty much dead already. Non-issue on Federal land. Only State and private. Not sure why private land was included. Joke of a Bill.

 

[Big Fin]

Just for conversation...how many of these bright Ideas were brought up by Republicans?

All.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Thought 148 was pretty much dead already. Non-issue on Federal land. Only State and private. Not sure why private land was included. Joke of a Bill.

It was a Montana Shooting Sports Association bill.

Unless someone makes a motion to take it off the table, and then someone makes a motion to do pass, it's not going to go anywhere.

More to come later. I need a drink!

 

[belly-deep]

Why did the MBA oppose illuminocks?

 

[Ben Lamb]

I'll try and get their statements tomorrow, but it boils down to not supporting putting electronics on archery equipment, and the belief that these would cause some hunters to rely on technology more than skill. It's an ethical thing for them. Testimony on the bill should be on the bill's page, at least in audio format.

 

[tjones]

Because it should be a FWP commission change not a legislative change. Less legislation is mucho better.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Tony's right. Long day. Sorry!

There is a long list of bills that will strip authority away from the commission and limit hunter input in to developing seasons, setting regulations and generally eliminating the public's voice in wildlife. Sometime's it's easy to forget which bad bill does what.

 

[Sytes]

Incredible and eye opening how much effort goes into protecting what many hunters take for granted... Including myself. Sometimes, financial support to groups such as... MWF is a great way to fuel those who represent your views.
Glad we have people as mentioned working hard on our behalf. Thanks.

 

[tjones]

MWF, MBA, and your local sportsmen group is a great place to start.

Anyone that joins our group Ravalli County Fish and Wildlife Assoc. gets a free membership to the MWF. Thats a lot of bang for $20. Not sure if all the affiliates work that way but we do. Being a member sure helps keep a guy in the loop.

 

[Ben Lamb]

These are just the bills that we've worked on so far this session, and the bills that are listed on the committee pages for next week. This is not a complete list, but the main bills (I omitted about 20 of them) that we have worked on.

Bills that have died:
HB 148 - Game Retrieval - Tabled 19-1 - MWF Oppose
HB 151 - Elkhorns quota and landowner preference - Tabled - MWF Oppose
HB 173 - Allow for illuminocks - Tabled - MWF Oppose (followed MBA's lead)
HB 228 - Revise Hunting Privileges for Youth - MWF Oppose

Bills waiting on Executive Action:
HB 261 - Revise Upland Game Bird Hunting Laws/Establish Non-Resident Youth Hunt - MWF Support
HB 272 - Eliminate ability for FWP to use hunting access fees to acquire fee title lands - MWF oppose
HB 209 - Revise Maintenance Laws for FWP Lands to Prioritize Funds for WMA's - MWF Oppose
HB 286 - Tax Increase on Sportsmen to fund killing Coyotes for Sheep Producers - MWF Oppose
HB 309 - Clarify Prohibition on Recreational Access to Ditches - MWF Oppose
HB 318 - Ensure County Oversight in Movement of Publicly Owned Bison - MWF Oppose
HB 292 - Constitutional Referendum Amending Right to a Clean and Healthful Environment - MWF Oppose
SB 84 - Revise Deposit of Fish and Wildlife Fines, Restitution, Damages - MWF Oppose
SB 144 - Revise Laws Governing Translocation of Bison, Prohibit Free Roaming Bison - MWF Oppose
SB 207 - Clarify Regulation of Wild/Domestic Bison as Livestock - MWF Oppose
SB 148 - Require Dept. of Livestock to Notify Private Landholders re: Bison Control Acts - MWF Support
SB 212 - Clarify FWP Authority to Manage Wild Buffalo or Bison - MWF Oppose as written
SB 197 - Allow Non-Profits and Educational Entities to Sell Raffle Tickets Out-of-State - MWF Support/MWF Bill
SB 134 - Provide for Economic Impact Statements on FWP Seasonal Rules - MWF Oppose

Limbo:
HB 177 - Wolf poop bill - Tabled, waiting for new fiscal note

Passed out of Committee/ Scheduled for 2nd Reading:
HB 159 - Strip FWP Commission authority to regulate ammo - Passed committee - MWF opposed
HB 176 - Provide Antelope Tags for Persons with Terminal Illnesses - MWF Support
SB 43 - Revise the Primitive Parks Act - MWF Oppose
SB 92 - Revise Falconry Law to Allow for Capture of Non-Residents - MWF Support
SB 136 - Revise Residency Requirements for Hunting - MWF Support
SB 143 - Revise State Grizzly Bear Policy - MWF Oppose
SB 160 - Allow Off-Highway Vehicles on Designated Roads/trails in State Parks/FAS - MWF Support

Transmitted to Other Chamber:
SB 115 - Prohibit Disclosure of Certain Hunters Information - MWF Support
HJ 1 - Resolution Urging Federal Legislation Removing Wolf From Endangered Species List - MWF Support
SB 124 - Reorganize and Recodify Fish and Game Criminal Statutes - MWF Support

House FWP Committee Schedule for 2/1/2011:
01-FEB-11 3:00 PM 152 HB214
Managing bison as livestock Bill Harris
MWF Oppose
01-FEB-11 3:00 PM 152 HB282
Revise law on registration for sale of grizzly bears or hides, heads, mounts Kelly Flynn

01-FEB-11 3:00 PM 152 HB289
Provide for a three-year waiting period on mountain lion license Gerald (Jerry) Bennett


Senate Fish and Game Scheduled for 2/1/2011:
01-FEB-11 3:00 PM 422 SB157
Establish hunters against hunger donation program Kendall Van Dyk
MWF Support
01-FEB-11 3:00 PM 422 SB174
Prohibit state funds for movement or relocation of bison to Spotted Dog WMA Gene Vuckovich
MWF Oppose
01-FEB-11 3:00 PM 422 SB184
Allow for bow and arrow bison hunt Kendall Van Dyk
MWF Support

That's all I can come up with for the moment. I'm sure I missed a couple of them here and there, so feel free to add on to this if I missed anything big.

To look up a specific bill, use either this page: Fish and Wildlife Bills

Or this page, using the HB or SB number: Find a bill

 

[tjones]

SB 112 the spear chucker bill. Headed to the house. There are bad bills and dumb bills this one ranks up at the top of dumb bills. Right there with the HB 148 game retrevial, and HB 289 3 year wait on lions.

 

[drahthaar]

Why are there sooooo many Fish and Wildlife bills being tossed around in the legislature? This is nuts! Spears, game retrieval, etc? WTF. I had no idea there was such strong feelings about this crap that someone had to get a state representative to write up some stupid bill and put it to a vote at this level?

There has to be ulterior motives to all this? Seems like our public lands and public game is being tossed around as pawns in some sick fricken game. I thought we were all about less govt in this "Republican" or "conservative" state.

 

[shoots-straight]

I don't like SB 136. If your not a resident of Montana, you don't deserve to buy licences cheaper than other NR hunters just because you were born here. This is like having your cake and eating it too. At a minimum, there needs to be a number to limit how many get that extra licence.

 

[shoots-straight]

Why are there sooooo many Fish and Wildlife bills being tossed around in the legislature? This is nuts! Spears, game retrieval, etc? WTF. I had no idea there was such strong feelings about this crap that someone had to get a state representative to write up some stupid bill and put it to a vote at this level?

There has to be ulterior motives to all this? Seems like our public lands and public game is being tossed around as pawns in some sick fricken game. I thought we were all about less govt in this "Republican" or "conservative" state.

This is why you have to join up with your local MWF affiliate club and fight all this nonsense. Our Club (RCF&W ass.) sponsored a Political candidate forums. This let our future representatives know where we stood on many of these issues. You have to be pro-active these days.