Dear COHA Partners and Members: 

 

Below is our latest COHA Field Wire.  As many of you know, the Field Wire is sent out on an “as necessary” basis (typically a couple of times a month) in order to keep those who care about wildlife conservation and the future of our hunting heritage closely apprised of issues of concern.  It is in our collective best interest to expand the reach of this e-newsletter and the important information that it carries as far and wide as possible.  But, to do so, we need your help.  If at all possible, please forward this Field Wire to your own organizational email lists, as well as to your friends and colleagues in the outdoors.  Also please urge them to sign up to receive the Field Wire direct by contacting us at actionteam@outdoorheritage.org

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance,

 

 
                April 10, 2008                                                                                                                                                                            Issue No.2008-7

§         Hunting Dog Bill Clears First Hurdle

§         SB 1172 Passes First Committee with Bipartisan Support

§         California Legislature Outdoor Sporting Caucus

 

Hunting Dog Bill Clears First Hurdle – On April 1, 2008, COHA and the California Houndsmen for Conservation sponsored bill, AB 2132 (Houston), passed out of the California State Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, & Wildlife with a 13-0 vote. This important sportsmen legislation would help ensure the safety of hunting dogs, prevent trespass, and provide the Fish and Game Commission with additional flexibility regarding deer hunting.  The next hearing date for AB 2132 is April 15, 2008 in the California State Assembly Committee on Public Safety. 

 

SB 1172 Passes First Committee with Bipartisan Support – A COHA-sponsored measure to protect hunting license stamp/tag revenue from being redirected by the state for non-game purposes passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee by an 8-0 vote on April 8^th.  SB 1172 (Dutton) would provide greater transparency and accountability over certain hunter generated monies, including deer, elk, wild pig, bighorn sheep, antelope, upland game bird and bear tags/stamps.  The bill, which is modeled on the highly successful Duck Stamp program, would also require that all hunter reservation application monies and daily use fees for DFG’s Wildlife Management Areas be used for conservation purposes on those lands.  The measure will next be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

 

California Legislature Outdoor Sporting Caucus – On April 2^nd COHA in partnership with California Waterfowl Association hosted the Fifth Annual California Legislature Outdoor Sporting Caucus dinner in Sacramento.  The Dinner was sponsored by the Cortopassi Family Foundation and was attended by various Members of the Legislature, Secretary of the Resource Agency, several Fish and Game Commissioners, the Interim Director of the California Department of Fish and Game, and many conservation non profit groups.  The evening was lead by Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Rancho Murrietta) and Assembly Woman Nicole M. Parra (D-Hanford). The Caucus was created over five years ago with the assistance of COHA staff and CWA. 

 

 

For more detailed information on these and other important issues, please visit our website at www.outdoorheritage.org

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