Legislative Wrap-Up
Thank you for following us for all these months.
Below we report the final score on the bills that we had followed that had not made it to the finish line at the time of our last report.
The Special Legislative session is coming also to an end, and there are talks of a second special session.
Interim is the time between sessions. The Speaker and the Lt. Governor might ask the various committees in the House and Senate, respectively, to discuss different issues in depth; some of these studies may become bills in 2015. The Chairman of the House Culture, Recreation and Tourism Committee has asked the EWA to notify him of any concerns we might want to discuss with his committee ad interim. The deadline is July 12th. If you have any business that you would like to be studied and discussed legislatively, please let the EWA office know.
As usual, please contact us if you have any questions. We hope to see you at the Trophy Game Records of the World Awards Banquet in San Marcos on July 19th and 20th to celebrate our hunting industry. Like Alexis de Tocqueville said in “Democracy in America” American strength is in the power of individuals working together in associations. Where associations lose power, big government gains. We hope to see you there!
Deer and Wildlife Bills
HB 1718, the charity bill that would lower the hunting fees for out of state terminally ill individuals, will become law on September 1, 2013.
SB 820, relating to the management, breeding, and destruction of deer and to procedures regarding certain deer permits (due process), was signed by the Governor and will be effective 9/1/13. EWA supported the bill.
Agriculture and Livestock
HB 1807, relating to exterminating fever ticks, effective 9/1/13. EWA supported the bill.
The bill creating “Bison Week,” SCR 20, has been signed by the governor. EWA supported the bill.
HB 2311, which forbids the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) from having rules more stringen