RE: Texas people take a look.
this was posted originally on the bowsite texas forum on april 14th as an update
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The following is an excerpt from Sunday' s Houston Chronicle. It indicates that bowhunter' s efforts have been successful with Rep. Ellis. Senator Staples continues to stymie our efforts as far as we know. Calls and emails to Senator Staples need to continue. Your help would be appreciated. It is no given that the Senate bill will follow the House Bill. That is why we need to have Senator Staples amend his bill. Thanks. ------------------------------------------------- FISHING STAMP CLEARS HURDLE
By SHANNON TOMPKINS
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
Texas' 2 million or so freshwater anglers last week moved closer to seeing a $5 stamp added to state fishing license requirements.
A bill creating the $5 freshwater fishing stamp cleared a major hurdle Wednesday when the House Committee on State Cultural and Recreational Resources passed the legislation to the House for consideration.
HB 1989 by Rep. Dan Ellis, D-Livingston, would create a $5 freshwater fishing stamp and mandate that all freshwater anglers required to hold a regular fishing license also purchase the stamp.
Money generated from sale of the freshwater fishing stamp would be dedicated for use by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for repair, maintenance, renovation or replacement of the state' s aging and worn-out freshwater fish hatcheries or for purchase of fish to be stocked in public water.
The bill limits the freshwater fishing stamp to a 10-year life span, with the stamp requirement ending Sept. 1, 2014.
As originally proposed, the bill also would have eliminated the $7 freshwater trout stamp (required when fishing for freshwater trout), the $10 muzzleloader stamp (required of those participating in special primitive firearms hunting seasons) and the $7 archery stamp (required of bowhunters participating in archery-only hunting seasons).
The State Cultural and Recreational Resources Committee amended Ellis' bill to strike the elimination of the archery stamp.
Texas bowhunters, who successfully lobbied the 1975 session of the Legislature to create the tax on themselves, voiced concern about termination of the archery stamp.
With the archery stamp gone, bowhunters reasoned, it would be easier for the state to chip away at the October bow-only deer season, perhaps expanding it to allow primitive firearms or even modern firearms seasons during a period once the exclusive purview of archers.
Many of the state' s 100,000 or so bowhunters contacted their legislators with their desire to see the archery stamp continued.
The committee appears to have listened to those comments.
House passage of the freshwater fishing stamp seems fairly certain, as there has been little opposition to the bill other than that offered by bowhunters.
A near-identical bill, Senate Bill 1837 by Sen. Todd Staples, R- Palestine, sits in the Senate' s Natural Resources Committee. But if the House version passes as expected, look for the Senate committee to consider Ellis' bill.
The only difference between Ellis' and Staples' bill is language on the cost of the stamp. Ellis' bill sets the cost at $5. Staples' bill sets the annual stamp fee at a minimum of $5 and allows the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission to set a higher price.
If either bill becomes law, the freshwater stamp requirement would become effective Sept. 1.
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