Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists

Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and ConservationistsPennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and ConservationistsPennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists

Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists

Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and ConservationistsPennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and ConservationistsPennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists
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Legislative & Regulatory News

PFSC is on the Front Lines - So you can be in the woods, on the water or at the range.

Boots on the Ground in the Halls of the Capitol!

On the Front Lines...

 Promoting and protecting our natural resources, outdoor heritage and Second Amendment Rights!

Your rights to hunt, fish, trap and own firearms are squarely in the crosshairs of the animal rights and anti-gun lobbies and show no signs of slowing down.  With your continued support, PFSC will remain on the front lines so you can be in the woods, on the water or at the range!


PFSC monitors all submitted legislation and tracks any bills pertinent to our outdoor heritage and Second Amendment Rights.  Tracking 400-500 bills each legislative session.


PFSC supports science-based and led wildlife and aquatic management, with the subject matter experts making decisions, not politicians.  PFSC will adamantly oppose legislative efforts to mandate management policies and restrict our Second Amendment Rights and Freedoms! 

Tracked Legislation

PFSC tracked 313 bills pertinent to the interests of sportsmen/women & conservationists during the 21/22 Legislative Session.

View 2023/2024 Tracked Legislation

2023/2024 Legislative Committee Reports

Files are password protected for PFSC members-only viewing. 

Call 717-232-3480 or Email info@pfsc.org for the members-only password. 

Files coming soon.

Legislative News

A FEW ISSUES WE ARE FOLLOWING / WORKING

DOE LICENSE PROCESS

No More Pink Envelopes 

Governor Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 431 into law on November 3, 2022. (Act 148) 

SB 431 updates the current antlerless deer licensing process by authorizing sales through Pennsylvania’s automated licensing services. A long overdue simplification. 


PFSC thanks Senator Daniel Laughlin for his perseverance in making SB 431 a reality for sportsmen and women. 

INCREASING HUNTING OPPORTUNITY - SUNDAY HUNTING

Senator Laughlin Introduced SB 607 (2021-2022 session) to Remove the Prohibition on Sunday hunting and leave the decision to the Game Commission.

Co-sponsor Memo 


SB 607 Bill Text/History


Passage of the bill will help bring Pennsylvania wildlife management into the 21st Century standards and eliminate the restrictions based on a 338-year-old law from 1682.

Wildlife management should be based on science-led, resource first wildlife management established in the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.


We must strive for optimization of opportunity if we want to optimize participation. 


PFSC supports the PGC having full authority to set season dates - including Sundays.

CONSERVATION CORRIDORS

Connecting our forests leads to stronger wildlife populations

Our wildlife is under enormous pressure in Pennsylvania. The causes are well known, and not only to state wildlife professionals. Attentive outdoor enthusiasts observe the loss of habitat due to expanding suburbs, exurbs, and generations of road building. The result is habitat fragmentation, which is the dividing of suitable habitat into smaller, isolated patches. Eventually, the patches are too small to sustain biodiversity, which is vital to healthy wildlife populations. 


Connected habitat— including unrestricted rivers and streams, large blocks of forests, and patches of grasslands —is important to maintain Pennsylvania’s biodiversity. Biodiversity is enhanced by creating a connected ecosystem bigger than the sum of the parts, one that allows animals to move. This movement is necessary on a daily basis for food, or seasonally for den sites. Youngsters must disperse to find territory and mates and to increase genetic diversity within their populations. Some species respond to climate change by seeking to migrate farther north to remain in suitable habitats. 


Conservation corridors are a key conservation strategy needed to protect our wildlife. Pennsylvania House Resolution 74 (2021-2022 session) introduced into the Tourism and Recreational Development Committee by Rep. Daley (D, 148th, Montgomery County) and Rep. Kaufer (R,120th, Luzerne County), provides the legislation to begin the study of conservation corridors in Pennsylvania. A similar resolution (SR70) was been introduced into the Pennsylvania Senate’s Environmental Resources and Energy Committee by Senator Muth (D, 44th, parts of Berks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties).  

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

It is only through the combined efforts of Pennsylvania sportsmen, wildlife enthusiasts, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, legislators, and other stakeholders that we may identify the permanent solution to Chronic Wasting Disease here in Pennsylvania. 

  ***THE PA GAME COMMISSION HAS NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY/CONTROL OVER CAPTIVE/FARMED ANIMALS***    

INCREASED PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL SETTING OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAPS

The Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Trappers Association have previously supported this measure and legislation to increase the penalty for illegally setting these traps from a summary offense of the fifth degree to a summary offense of the first degree. This change would increase maximum fines from $200 to $1,500. 

PA GAME COMMISSION FEE SETTING

(Waiting For Updated 2023 Session Legislation) 

The PA Game Commission needs the same authority as the PA Fish & Boat Commission (HB808) to set fees.   The PGC does not receive state funding. Revenue comes from hunting licenses sales, Pittman & Robertson Funding, and other conservation sources.  License fees for the PGC are set by the state legislature.  The last hunting license fee increase was in 1999.

Representative Keith Gillispie
“Both of those agencies, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Fish, and Boat Commission, are professional agencies,” said state Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-York), the committee chair. “They’re not going to price themselves out of the market, and they know where they need to direct those resources to and how to manage it.”

Last session, the individual bills both passed overwhelmingly in the Senate but lacked the votes in our committee. I’m planning to take another swing at this because of my strong feeling that the commissions both need and deserve the ability to set their own fees for the benefit of outdoor enthusiasts for whom they provide much-needed services.  (2019)

ONLINE FUND RAISING RAFFLES FOR NON-PROFIT

PFSC supports legislation allowing organizations with Small Games Of Chance club licenses to offer games of chance virtually via the internet or mobile application and receive payment electronically through credit and debit cards or other electronic mobile payment applications.  

Recent Legislative Initiatives

No More Pink Envelopes

Infrared Scopes for Night Hunting

Infrared Scopes for Night Hunting

No More Pink Envelopes 

Governor Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 431 into law on November 3, 2022. (Act 148) 

SB 431 updates the current antlerless deer licensing process by authorizing sales through Pennsylvania’s automated licensing services. A long overdue simplification. 


PFSC thanks Senator Daniel Laughlin for his perseverance in making SB 431 a reality for sportsmen and women. 

Infrared Scopes for Night Hunting

Infrared Scopes for Night Hunting

Infrared Scopes for Night Hunting

 PA House Bill 1188 

Signed into law July 1, 2020

 This bill updates and removes the restriction on the use of infrared, thermal, and similar night vision optics and devices used for hunting in Section 2308 of Pa. Title 34 Wildlife Code.  

PFBC License Fees

PFBC License Fees

PFBC License Fees

 PA House Bill 808

Signed into law July 10, 2020

 This legislation will allow the PA Fish & Boat Commission to set new fees starting in 2022.  This legislation sunsets in 2025, assuring Pennsylvania's fishermen and boaters that if the legislature is not approving of the process, this authority will be revoked.  

Sunday Hunting

PFBC License Fees

PFBC License Fees

 PA Senate Bill 147

 Signed into law November 22, 2019

 Landmark achievement for hunter-conservation here in Pennsylvania. Governor Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 147 into law amending Title 34 Game Law to allow for 3 additional Sunday hunting opportunities.  

PFSC E-Newsletter

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2021/2022 Legislative Committee Reports

 Files are password protected for PFSC members-only viewing. 

Call 717-232-3480 or Email info@pfsc.org for the members-only password.   

Senate G&F Committee Hearing - Antler Restrictions 10-26-22 (pdf)Download
House G&F Committee Meeting (Doe License Allocations) 9-21-2022 (pdf)Download
House Judiciary Committee Meeting (Firearm Bill) 6-28-2022 (pdf)Download
House Judiciary Committee Meeting (Firearm Bills) 6-21-2022 (pdf)Download
House Judiciary Committee Meeting (Firearm Bills) 6-13-2022 (pdf)Download
PFBC Performance Audit 5-25-2022 (pdf)Download
Senate Agriculture and Game & Fisheries Committee - CWD Hearing (pdf)Download
Budget Committee Hearings re CWD & PICS & NICS 2022 (pdf)Download

2021/2022 Legislative Committee Reports

Files are password protected for PFSC members-only viewing. 

Call 717-232-3480 or Email info@pfsc.org for the members-only password.   

House & Senate Budget Hearings - DCNR 2022 (pdf)Download
House & Senate Budget Hearings - DEP 2022 (pdf)Download
House G&F Committee Hearing - PFBC Annual Report 2-2022 (pdf)Download
House G&F Committee Hearing - PGC Annual Report 2-2022 (pdf)Download
House G&F & Tourism Committees Joint Meeting Re Increased Outdoor Activities 10-6-21 (pdf)Download
Senate Judiciary Committee -Constitutional Carry 6-24-2021 (pdf)Download
6-16-21 Senate G&F Committee- Sunday Hunting (pdf)Download
House Judiciary Committee -Constitutional Carry & Preemption 5-25-21 (pdf)Download
Senate G&F Committee- Doe Licenses 5-24-21 (pdf)Download
2nd Amendment Sactuary Press Release 5-13-21 (pdf)Download
Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee5-12-21 (pdf)Download
House G&F Committee 4-21-21 (Consider 4 Bills) (pdf)Download
Senate G&F Committee 3-16-21 (Consider 4 Bills) (pdf)Download
House G&F Committee 3-3-21 (PGC Annual Report Hearing) (pdf)Download
Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee 2-24-21 (PICS Report) (pdf)Download

Copyright © 2022 Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists 

All Rights Reserved.

 

The Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen & Conservationists is a 501(c)4 non-profit, tax-exempt organization as provided by IRS regulations. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free (within PA) 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. 
PFSC
2426 N 2nd St., Harrisburg, PA 17110
717-232-3480
info@pfsc.org

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The Voice of Pennsylvania's Sportsmen