Game and Fish Committee 02/12/08

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee Meeting met on Tuesday, February 12, 2008, and reported out the following bills:

Reported as amended (unanimously):

HB747, PN3227:  (Rep. Gergely) This bill would authorize the PA Game Commission to auction one special, elk-hunting license annually.  Proceeds would go toward elk habitat rehabilitation.

HB1214, PN3228:  (Rep. Surra) This bill would shorten the term of PA Game Commissioner’s terms from 8 to 4 years.

Reported as committed (unanimously):

SB1256, PN1713: (Sen. Regola) This bill would amend Title 34 (Game) to provide for the issuance of reduced-price resident hunting licenses to active-duty military personnel by an authorized issuing agent.

SB1257, PN1714: (Sen. Robbins) This bill would amend Title 30 (Fish) to provide for the issuance of reduced-price resident fishing licenses to active-duty military personnel by an authorized issuing agent.

Game and Fish Committee 12/12/07

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee Meeting met on Wednesday, December 12, 2007, and reported out the following bill.

HB 1116: This bill would amend Title 34 (Game) permitting the PA Game Commission to make vouchers for fishing licenses and permits available for purchase by a third party.

The bill was reported unanimously.

Game and Fish Committee 11/20/07

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee Meeting met on Tuesday, November 20, 2007, and unanimously reported out the following bill as committed.

HB 948 This bill would amend Title 30 (Fish) permitting the PA Fish and Boat Commission to make vouchers for fishing licenses and permits available for purchase by a third party.   

The following bill was unanimously reported out as amended.

SB 880 This bill is identical to HB 948.  Senator Kasunic offered Amendment A04267 that would change the law’s date of effectiveness from 60 days to immediately, as is the case with the House’s version of the bill.

Game and Fish Committee 11/14/07

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee Meeting met on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, and reported out the following bill.

HB1109 this bill would provide for one-day nonresident/tourist and resident fishing licenses.  The bill would affect agents who issue licenses as well as the associated fees. 

The bill was reported out by a vote of 9-2

Game and Fish Committee 06/19/07

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. and unanimously reported out the following bills:

HB 13 (Representative Readshaw) Amends the act of February 2, 1965 “Limiting Liability of Landowners.”  This bill ensures that landowners will not incur liability for injuries suffered by others while hunting on their property.

The following bills were unanimously reported out as amended:

HB 778 (Representative Staback) Amends Title 30 (Fish) reducing the acceptable blood alcohol level while operating watercraft from .10% to the federal standard of .08%.  The bill further redefines and enumerates certain penalties and fines.  Senator McIlhinney offered an amendment (A01568) that would grant a judge the discretion to sentence a person found guilty of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) to house arrest.

HB 881 (Representative Haluska) Amends Title 34 (Game) further clarifying the conditions in which artificial light would be permitted during hunting.  The sole source of power for the light must be contained within the light, on the person, or mounted on the firearm.  Senator Fontana offered an amendment on behalf of Senator Kasunic (A01484) that would prohibit the use of a laser beam for the purpose of hunting furbearers.  Senator McIlhinney offerend an amendment (A01461) that would authorize persons, other than those outlined in the statute, to kill game/ wildlife to protect their property.

Game and Fish Committee 04/24/07

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday, April 24, 2007, and unanimously reported out the following bill as committed:

SB 580 (Madigan) The bill amends Title 34 (Game) by allowing dogs to be used for wild turkey hunting.

Game and Fish Committee 06/20/06

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday, June 20, 2006, and reported out the following bills:

As Committed (unanimously):

HB 2090 (Staback) The legislation amends Title 34 (Game) by allowing the Game Commission to offer advertisements in any of their publications and media information.

HB 2205 (B.Smith) The legislation amends Title 34 (Game) providing for record of license sales in which each issuing agent must forward to the director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission in the manner prescribed by the Commission all reports, moneys, records and any other information required, as provided by Commission regulations.

SB 1244 (Conti) The legislation amends Title 34 (Game) by removing part of section 902 pertaining to the powers and duties of retired wildlife conservation officers, retired waterways conservation officers, state park rangers and state and municipal police officers to issue citations and violations.

SB 1245 (Conti) The legislation amends Title 34 (Game) by allowing any natural or manmade nonliving bait, along with any electrical or mechanical devices to attract foxes for hunting or trapping. The law already permits such hunting of coyotes.

SB 1262 (Conti) The legislation amends Title 30 (Fish) by changing the blood alcohol content from .10% to .08% making it consistent with the Vehicle Code.

As Amended (unanimously)

HB 1320 (Reichley) The legislation amends Title 30 (Fish) by adding Section 2508, which prohibits the transporting, selling, importing or releasing of non-native injurious fish in addition to the snakehead fish

HB 1528 (Wilt) The legislation amends Title 3 (Agriculture) by requiring any person who wants to be a taxidermist to register with the Department of Agriculture.

Game and Fish Committee 12/13/05

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday, December 13, 2005 and reported out the following bill:

As amended

HB 1504 (Pickett)   The bill amends Title 30 by providing for a $1.00 fishing license for former prisoners of war.

Game and Fish Committee 11/01/05

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 and reported out the following bill

As amended

HB 1690 (B.Smith)   The bill amends title 34 (Game) by allowing bait to be used when hunting coyotes and creates the youth mentor hunting program.

Game and Fish Committee 6/7/05

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 and reported out the following bills:

As amended

SB 539 (Pippy) The bill further provides for the offense of trespassing on private property while hunting.

HB 1076 (Staback) The bill amends Title 34 (Game) by providing a resident hunting license for one-dollar to active duty members of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

HB 1077 (Staback) The bill amends Title 34 (Fish) by providing a resident fishing license once at the cost of one dollar to active duty members of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

HB 887 (Pickett) The bill amends Title 34 (Game) by providing a resident hunting license for one dollar to former prisoners of war.

Game and Fish Committee 11/15/04

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee met on Monday, November 15, 2004 and reported out the following bills:

As committed (10-1)

HB 2155 (B. Smith) The bill amends 30 PA C.S. (Fish) by increasing fishing licenses fees and permits as well as boating fees.

As amended (10-1)

HB 2326 (Gillespie) The bill amends Title 34 of the Game and Wildlife Code by allowing the Game Commission to modernize through regulation the process by which hunters report their big game kills.

Game and Fish Committee 5/18/04

The Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday May 18, 2004 and reported out the following bill:

As Committed:

HB 2042 PN 2692 (Phillips) (Vote 10-0) This bill provides for a special issue wild turkey license. This would allow the individual to harvest a turkey in addition the two allotted by a regular licence.
 

Game and Fish Committee 5/11/04

The Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday May 11, 2004 and reported out the following bills:

As Committed:

HB 1972 PN 2571 (Denlinger) (Vote 9-0) This bill provides for the offense of offering false identification to a Game Commission officer. The penalty for this offense is a summary offense of the second degree. The bill also adds clarifying language for the offense of refusing to provide identification to a Game Commission officer. The penalty for this offense is a summary offense of the fifth degree


HB 565 PN 667 (Solobay) (Vote 9-0) This legislation would reduce the safety zone for archers from 150 yards to 50 yards.

HB 659 PN 3594 (Staback) (Vote 9-0) This legislation would amend Title 34 to allow for unlicenced hunters to accompany a licensed hunter or trapper.

HB 2042 (Phillips) was also scheduled to be voted out but was withdrawn.

Game and Fish Committee 2/4/04

The Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday February 4, 2004 and reported out the following bill:

As Committed

HB 514 PN 2798 (Wilt) Vote 13-0 This bill raises the horsepower restriction on Pymatuning Lake from 10 to 20 horsepower. It also restricts water-skiing and increases penalties for certain violations.

Game and Fish Committee 12/18/03

The Game and Fisheries Committee met on Thursday December 18, 2003 and reported out the following bills:

As Committed

HB 514 PN 1792 (Phillips) Vote 12-0 This legislation amends Title 34, Section 2510 to exempt spent shotgun and rifle shell casings, ejected during normal hunting activities, from the definition of litter. "Normal hunting activities" shall not include a circumstance when a person has fired more than six rounds from a stationary position.

HB 1927 PN 2519 (B. Smith) Vote 12-0 This legislation amends Title 34, Sections 905 and 925 by increasing the penalty for injuring a Wildlife Conservation Officer to a felony of the second degree, providing for a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $25,000 and the possibility of imprisonment for up to ten years.

Game and Fisheries Committee 6/2/03

The Game and Fisheries Committee met on Monday June 2, 2003 and reported out the following bills:

As Amended

SB 586 (Wenger) Vote 10-0 Would allow Resident military personal to obtain a hunting license for $10 as opposed to the $19 fee.

As Committed

Hb 331 (Petrerca) Vote 10-0 This bill provides that disabled persons be able to receive either a temporary or permanent crossbow permit.

HB 235 (Hickernell) Vote 10-0 Allows 16 year olds to obtain falconry permits and it also redefines the requirements to receive a "disabled persons hunting permit"

Game and Fish Committee 11/12/02

The Game and Fisheries Committee met on Tuesday November 12, 2002 and reported out the following bills:

As Amended

SB 133 (Corman) Vote 9-0 This bill exempts boats that are part of a cavern operation from the definition of a "passenger- carrying boat."

SB 463 (Kasunic) Vote 9-1 ( Waugh voted no) Establishes a mandatory boater education program

Game and Fish Committee 6/24/02

The Game and Fisheries Committee met on Monday June 24, 2002 and reported out the following bill:

As Amended (Unanimous)

House Bill 1482 (PN4083) (J. Evans) This legislation amends Title 30 of the Fish and Boat Code to provide that money from special Lake Erie fishing permits be distributed to holders of gill net permits no later than July 10, 2002. It then provides that the balance of the money be used to purchase a piece of property on Lake Erie for the purpose of public fishing and access.

Note: Senator Kasunic also offered an amendment which would have provided that all boaters be required to take a boater education course in order to operate a power boat. Senator Kasunic withdrew the amendment when concern was raised that the House would not concur if the bill went back over with this specific amendment attached .

Game and Fish Committee 4/29/02

The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee met on Monday, April 29, 2002 and reported the following bills:

As Committed (unanimously)

Senate Bill 1243 (PN 1600) (Helfrick) This bill amends Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. It provides that $4.25 form each resident and non-resident hunting licence, and $2 from each anterless deer license to go towards habitat improvement projects on lands under control or operation of the Commission.

As Committed: (10-1)

Senate Bill 1158 (PN1449) (White)  This bill adds a definition to Section 102 of Title 34 relating to "Cervidae livestock operations "and amends the definition of "game animals" Cervidae (elk) farming would now be under the definition of a farm operation. This does exclude elk which are imported or purchased for hunting.

As Amended (unanimously)

Senate Bill 1242 (PN 1940) (Helfrick) This bill provides for the Commission to purchase three tracts of land in located in Clearfield, Pike and Schuylkill counties for the purpose of game lands. Senator Helfrick offered an amendment which excludes the tract in Pike County and adds two additional tracts where one is located in Columbia and Schuylkill Counties and the other is in Elk and Jefferson Counties.

As Amended: (7-4)

House Bill 2125, (PN 3768) (B. Smith)   This bill amends Sections 2308 and 2505 of Title 34. Section 2308 is amended to allow for hunting over bait in certain areas. Section 2505 is amended to increase safety zone violation fines. Senator Helfrick offered a further amendment to amend Sections 901 and 902 to provide that a game official's vehicle be recognized as an "emergency vehicle." The amendment will also exclude deputies from the "emergency vehicle" provisions.