Accomplishments
Secured enactment of the “Right to Fish and Hunt Act of 2021” which legally designates fishing/hunting as “Rights” and no longer “Privileges” per se.
Chapters 295 and 296, resp.
Defeated an effort in 2021 to lift the existing statutory prohibition of the sale of venison so programs – akin to the 2020 “Bounty” Program offered in Anne Arundel County that was ruled illegal by Maryland’s Attorney General –allowing taxpayer dollars to be used to compensate hunters and processors for venison donated to charity could not be adopted by local governments.
Senate Bill 798/House Bill 594
Secured enactment of legislation in 2021 requiring DNR to report to the General Assembly by December 31, 2021 on its testing of deer brought to deer processors for chronic wasting disease.
Chapters 297 and 298, resp.
Secured adoption of COMMITTEE NARRATIVE in the Fiscal Year 2022
Budget Bill as follows:
WILDLIFE AND HERITAGE SERVICE
Montgomery County Enhanced Deer Management Strategy: The budget committees are concerned that Montgomery County is experiencing uncontrollable deer population growth and that existing methods of lawfully mitigating the detrimental impact of this growth have proven ineffective. Therefore, the budget committees request that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in
cooperation with and approval by Montgomery County officials, develop an enhanced deer management strategy to reduce the Montgomery County deer population by a measurable amount. The report shall be submitted by November 1, 2021.
Impact Assessment Study of Maryland’s Coyote Population:
The budget committees are concerned that the coyote has fully colonized Maryland and that the coyote population is threatening both domestic and wild animals as well as public health, safety, and welfare. Therefore, the budget committees request that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in cooperation with stakeholder groups, conduct an impact assessment study of Maryland’s coyote population and report on the findings. The study shall include the following: an assessment of the coyote population statewide in terms of range and subspecies, including fertile hybrids; a determination of the socioeconomic impact of unchecked growth in the coyote population; and identification of strategies and policies to control coyote population growth and mitigate attendant ecological impacts. The report shall be submitted by December 1, 2021. Information Request Impact assessment study of Maryland’s coyote population Author DNR Due Date December 1, 2021 Defeated an effort in 2020 to allow Sunday hunting of waterfowl.
Senate Bill 243
Secured an historic “First” in Maryland via a $100,000 general fund fiscal year 2021 supplemental budget for DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service*
Convinced lawmakers to reject proposed deletion of 2 positions within DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service by the General Assembly’s Department o fLegislative Services*
*Hunters of Maryland was formed in December 2019, less than 30 days before the 2020 Maryland General Assembly convened. COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an abbreviated Session, one that ended 19 days prior to its scheduled 90-day adjournment and the first since the Civil War. Consequently, these two initiatives fell prey to the abbreviated Session.
