Minnesota House passes Disappointing Hunting and Fishing bill
Saint Paul, Minn.- Yesterday evening, the Minnesota House passed its omnibus Game and Fish Bill, HF 2844. Among the long list of disappointments in the bill, several provisions gut DNR policies currently in place to protect natural habitat and wildlife. Two of these include prohibiting the DNR from adopting rules to restrict lead shot while hunting and from stocking muskie on select lakes across Minnesota.
Representative Hansen, who did not vote for the bill, gave these closing comments on the House Floor last night:
“The Game and Fish Bill always comes near the end of session, and I think we can all agree Minnesotans feel passionately about the outdoors. But one thing I’ve learned over the years here is that not all Minnesotans believe the same thing about the outdoors. When you look at this bill, you’re going to see a lot of things that are based on the way things were, our memory, or where people think people are.
Our state is changing. We’re in the midst of great change. And instead of looking at where we were, and what was, we could be looking at where we should be and where we could be and how we could move together toward that. Spending time on blaze pink, spending time fighting old battles, spending time on old discussions and debates, rather than looking at where we could go, we need to look at where we want to be in the future.
At some point, the Legislature will have that discussion about game and fish, at some point Minnesota will engage in that discussion. It was not last night. I think it’s going to be a discussion on the campaign trail with our constituents in our communities. The style of today’s policy making isn’t going to cut it in the future. Looking at where we can go, and what we can do is where we will need to be.”
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