The Hunters of Maryland will be working with State lawmakers, et al, on hunting-related legislation introduced for consideration by the 2021 General Assembly. Below are the hunting-related proposals that are deemed “Pre-Filed” b/c they have been drafted before start of the 2021 Session and are ready for introduction on the opening day of the 2021, aka, January 13, 2021. It is important to understand that working with State lawmakers is a give and take relationship. One does his/her best to influence a vote – a position based on facts and reasoning, thus rendering it defensible – and trusts that position converts to a favorable vote, albeit up or down. Win or lose it’s NEVER acceptable to get ugly with a lawmaker about a proposal where you both differ. Doing so is disrespectful with potential haunting and perpetual-negative consequences. A loss today can mean a win tomorrow, aka keep your powder dry,
Maryland’s hunting community is fortunate to have an ally in the bi-partisan Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus within the General Assembly. These pro-sportsmen/sportswomen Senators and Delegates understand the significance of their standing together, especially given the fact that only one State Senator amongst the 47 State Senator actually hunts while one could probably count on one hand the number of Delegates within the House who actually hunt. Simply put, our ranks are thin. When one considers the math, one understands the importance of the policy-related role of the Hunters of Maryland – a dedicated few who recognize that hunting in Maryland could be a thing of the distant path within two generations.
So, here we go as we kick off the 442 Session of the General Assembly. Remember, the bills shown below are only Pre-Filed bills, many more to be introduced during the upcoming 90-day Regular Session. The Hunters of Maryland will do its best to educate Maryland’s hunting community about those policy-related hunting issues deemed of significance. Since our ranks are thin – and, measurably dwindling – if you read on this website the time-sensitive urgency to contact your local State Senator and/or Delegate about a specific statutory proposal (“bill”), you are encouraged to act post haste.
Public Safety – Access to Firearms – Storage Requirements (Jaelynn’s Law)
(House Bill 200)
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/hb/hb0200F.pdf
Explanation: This issue emanates from two students being killed at Great Mills High School (St. Mary’s County) in March 2018, one victim (Jaelynn Willey, age 16) and the shooter himself. Purportedly, the shooter had earlier completed a firearm competency test, presumably in order to obtain a hunting license. Lawmakers reacted last Session with a bill to limit minors’ access to firearms, aka Jaelynn’s Law. As introduced the bill would have prohibited, if enacted as introduced, anyone under the age of 16 years from being able to hunt. Why? Because the proposed legislation would have deleted from the law an existing provision allowing minors to hunt if they had successfully completed a firearm competency test as a prerequisite for obtaining a hunting license in Maryland. When we caught this and called it to the sponsor’s attention, he said we were “misreading” the bill b/c that was not the intention. Ultimately, the Attorney General concurred with the interpretation by the Hunters of Maryland and the Committee did not delete this section. The bill was moving until it collied with COVID. This year’s bill has included last year’s amendments per the timely intervention of the Hunters of Maryland in 2020. In short, if the bill passes this Session with this section in tact, youth hunting in Maryland will continue. And the Hunters of Maryland will move heaven and earth to ensure this legacy is retained on our watch.
Queen Anne’s County – Sunday Hunting
(House Bill 225)
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0225?ys=2021RS
Explanation: This bill affords DNR complete regulatory authority to select specific days to hunt Sundays for any species – except waterfowl – in Queen Anne’s County, thus joining the following counties which have likewise deferred such decisions to DNR’s annual regulatory decision-making: Allegany, Cecil, Garrett, St. Mary’s and Washington. All other counties have thus far opted to retain Sunday hunting for certain species – again, except waterfowl – through a statutory guarantee.
Organized Killing Contests – Restrictions
(House Bill 293/Senate Bill 200)
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/hb/hb0293F.pdf
Explanation: This bill is a reintroduction of the prohibition to hold remunerated-contests for the killing of coyotes, fox and raccoons with a $25 per head species penalty provision. Last year’s bill (House Bill 863) was moving until it collided with COVID. Important to note the Hunters of Maryland played an intervening role last Session – on behalf of and request by our Western Maryland brethren – in amending the bill to mitigate its impact. This year’s bill (House Bill 293/Senate Bill 200) is identical to the amended version from 2020. Like last year, this year’s bill also makes clear that landowners and dog trainers are still allowed to kill all 3 species.
Talbot County – Deer & Turkey Hunting – Sundays
(House Bill 325)
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/hb/hb0325F.pdf
Explanation: This bill expands Sunday hunting of deer and turkey in Talbot County – by statute, not regulations annually promulgated by DNR – in the following ways: (1) lets Talbot County join Carroll, Dorchester and Frederick counties to hunt deer on each Sunday of the deer hunting seasons from the first Sunday in October through the second Sunday of January, thus lifting the existing statutorily guaranteed days in Talbot County for Sunday hunting; (2) allows a person who is 16 years old or younger to on hunt turkey on one Sunday of the Spring turkey season if participating in a junior hunt established by DNR; and (3) lets Talbot County join Allegany, Cecil, Garrett, St. Mary’s, Washington and Dorchester counties – for allowing, by statute -- deer hunting on public lands for deer from the first Sunday in October through the second Sunday in January plus turkey hunting during a junior hunt.
Natural Resources – Fishing and Hunting Rights
(Senate Bill 318)
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/sb/sb0318F.pdf
Explanation: This bill is the next best thing to guaranteeing the right to fish and hunt in Maryland other than a Constitutional amendment. Maryland likely will never secure approval of a Constitutional amendment guaranteeing Marylanders the right to fish and hunt like about the other 20 plus states which have adopted such an amendment to their State Constitution. Such a move was actually tried once before and was never even brought up for a vote in its assigned Committee. Enactment would send a clear message to the citizenry and the courts that hunting and fishing in Maryland are time-honored traditions duly recognized by State law.
Calvert County – Sunday Hunting
(Senate Bill 356)
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/sb/sb0356F.pdf
Explanation: This bill would accomplish the same thing as noted above for Queen Anne’s County (House Bill 225) with the exception it would add Calvert County to the following counties authorizing Sunday hunting on public lands (in addition to private lands) – per guarantee statute or via annual regulatory decision-making by DNR: Allegany, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, St. Mary’s, Washington counties.
