THIS IS NOT OVER. Expect the worst, hope for the best, but plan on SB 2315 to go to committee next week and be re-written to include all the same old stuff from the previous incarnations. You will be called on again to stand up and contact your legislators at least two more times before this is all done. It's been a long session with just this bill alone, but your concerns have been heard and will continue to be heard.
First, you will be asked to contact the Senate and tell them to KEEP what the House sent them - a leveling of the playing field for sportsmen in this three-month interaction from which we can build compromise, find simpler ways to codify, enforce and enact mutually-beneficial and understandable laws with no poison pills, hammers or sunset clauses going forward. In all likelihood they will not accept the bill as-is and refer it to committee so that the sponsors can have their original database confusion reinserted in some form or another. It may not happen, but I'm not holding my breath - they've hung their hat on it since they lost the vote count in the Senate and there's little imagination there for anything else at this time - otherwise it would have been proposed by now.
Second. Once it goes to committee, and we have the committee's decision on what will be added to the bill, you will again be called on to review the latest version and then, contact both the Senate and the House, depending on the additions and your take on them - I don't expect them to be sportsman-friendly, but they may be, and there will be compromises of sorts thrown in. We'll have to see what comes out of the renewed sausage making. One thing's certain - this will all happen FAST - so sportsmen need to be on it.
Stay vigilant, stay involved, stay ready. We will find a better way forward after this mess is over and perhaps the groundwork for that path will be laid in the upcoming committee and the end of this process - stay positive, respectful and in contact.
