Speaker of the House calls for Legislature to consider new anti-sportsman bill (4/26/2002)

Maryland-

Anti-hunting trends continue to spread through the state of Maryland. Key legislators in the state recently announced plans to develop potential legislation for 2003 that would continue to degrade the state’s outdoor heritage.

Maryland's Speaker of the House Casper Taylor, Jr. (D-Allegany) and Delegate John Hurson (D-Montgomery), chairman of the Environmental Matters Committee, have announced plans to have the House of Delegates examine public policy issues regarding wildlife, the environment and public safety.

The House of Delegates' will investigate several issues, including the following:

- protecting land owners by requiring "reverse posting of land for hunting, i.e. requiring property to be posted if hunting is allowed, not if hunting is prohibited;

- establishing a minimum 300-yard buffer around private property border by which individuals can hunt with a firearm; and

- prohibiting the use of leghold traps.

Speaker Taylor and Chairman Hurson intend to work closely with animal rights organizations to develop potential legislation to "conserve natural resources and prevent cruelty to animals in Maryland."

When Maryland's governor worked with animal rights organizations to solve a conservation issue, he developed a Non-Lethal Wildlife Task Force that could cost the state and property owners millions of dollars.

This latest plan is an early warning for Maryland sportsmen. Animal rights groups are being asked to come sit at the table to promote their anti-hunting agenda when it is sportsmen who fund wildlife conservation in Maryland.

More anti-hunting and anti-trapping legislation is likely on the horizon during the next legislative session.

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance will keep Maryland sportsmen updated on this issue.

CopyrightÓ  U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance- www.ussportsmen.org

Home > News and alerts > You are here: Speaker of the House calls for Legislature to consider new anti-sportsmen bill