| Bernard -- Tomorrow, Tuesday Jan 25, the House Committee on Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife has scheduled discussion and a possible vote on H.411 which is a Wanton Waste bill. We have several issues with this version, not the least of which is there have been no allowances made to allow us or other groups to give testimony on this version. Last year there were several versions of this bill. The previous Commissioner, the Federation and other sporting groups believed that version 2.1 or 3.1 was something that could be supported. Then came 4.1, and our ability to support it was lost. Regarding version 2.1 and 3.1; these versions resulted from a working group that studied this problem and produced language that was acceptable to sportspeople. On January 10th, and for some inexplicable reason that defies our understanding of "normal" bill processing, we are now back to version numbered 1.1, which seems to be a slightly re-worked version of 4.1, when we should have expected 5.x. This new version 1.1 is not a bill we can support, and from what little testimony that has been allowed on this version last week: Commissioner Herrick does not support this version either. As a brief reminder, when the Federation asked to give testimony on several bills in this Committee last year, and despite all other groups seemingly being given as much time as they wanted, the VTFSC was limited to just 30 minutes - TO DISCUSS 4 BILLS. That was all the time we were allotted - 30 minutes - across the entire last session. It is bad enough we have to do the people's business almost entirely remotely. It now appears that we will not even be able to speak AT ALL on this new version; meaning the input of the largest sportsman's lobbying group in this state is being brushed away as irrelevant. The majority in the committee think they know what is best for us and Vermont. This is NOT the approach to a democratic process that we expect. Below is a list of emails that correspond to the Committee and the Speaker of the House. Please send an email to all of them (you should be able to cut & paste this list into your email program), with a subject of: "NO to the latest version of H.411 (1.1)". asheldon@leg.state.vt.us
jmccullough@leg.state.vt.us
hsmith@leg.state.vt.us
sbongartz@leg.state.vt.us
nbrownell@leg.state.vt.us
kdolan@leg.state.vt.us
plefebvre@leg.state.vt.us
lmorgan@leg.state.vt.us
kmorris2@leg.state.vt.us
lsatcowitz@leg.state.vt.us
tterenzini@leg.state.vt.us
jkrowinski@leg.state.vt.us In the body of your email, please be polite, and ask the Committee to support a version of this bill that can be supported by the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife. It's F&W business to know how to handle F&W issues that effect Vermont - they have been successfully doing that for years and years. This committee knows better? Thank You Donate to defend your rights: Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs
http://www.vtfsc.com/ | 
