Pa. Thermal / NV Law Change Progress

Pa. Mick

Well-known member
Progress with our legal system is slowwwww but I'm excited to share with you we have a house bill you can now follow. I have been in contact with my State Representative, Pa. Game Commissioner's & the Pa. Game Commission a number of times and as a result we have : HB2648 introduced to the Pa House of Representatives .

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/bi/BillIndx.cfm?sYear=2017&sIndex=0&bod=H

House Bill 2648
Prime Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE WENTLING
An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in hunting and furtaking, further providing for unlawful devices and methods.

This bill is necessary to change the law to allow the Pa. Game Commission to allow us the use of thermal and night vision equipment. There is presently 30 sponsors supporting this HB2648 but I'm sure it wouldn't hurt if you call your State Representative and ask them to help pass this bill. Representative Parke Wentling has been a great help working with me to get this started.

This is just in the beginning stages , be patient and hopefully it will reach the Governors desk for approval in the future.
 
Last edited:
I wish you guys luck with the NV/thermal bill. There is no reason that NV should not be legal to use for hunting predators.
 
At least lights are legal so when/if NV becomes legal you can use an IR light with it. Here in Mass we have legal NV but you can't use an illuminator, so you basically have to buy Gen3 or better. You can buy a thermal optic but you can only put it on a 22LR or a shotgun (which has been proven is too much recoil for the thermals). Stupid rules.

Anyhow, good luck with the bill I hope it passes. Both thermal and NV are gamechangers.
 
Thanks to Joe at nighteyes for motivating me to really get involved with the obsolete laws we now have. If you don't like the rules/ laws in your state help to change them ! Joe was involved in getting lights mounted on guns here in Pa. We had to hand hold a light while trying to shoot for years. Thanks to their efforts they got that changed !

Our game Commission is aware of our problem but the state legislature has to change an old antiquated law for the game Commission to allow us to use the new equipment.

Your right your rules are terrible, hopefully they will change them too !
 
Pa Mick. In your original post you stated that you contacted your state reps and game commissioners and as a result we have this bill... That is quite a misstatement. I believe what you meant to say was you contacted them to support this bill. Allow me to explain sir. I happen to know the individual who worked tirelessly and selflessly on this project for years! Went to Harrisburg and met with Mr. Wentling personally. Met with the Commisioners personally. Put this equipment in their hands so they could get familiar with it and have first hand knowledge of how it works. So you'll have to excuse me if I take exception to your origional post. Do you know who you and all of the predator hunters in PA have to thank for this opportunity? I certainly do! She is an amazing, driven woman. She worked hard for this in the predominantly male dominated field of predator hunting. I'm proud to call her my friend and don't appreciate anyone stealing her thunder.
 
Well sir, I have no knowledge as to what you are talking about ! I have posted information as to what I have done to help get this finally presented in a bill.

I am in no way trying to " STEAL SOMEONE ELSE'S THUNDER "

If others were involved in helping this come about, I thank them for all their efforts !!!
 
FYI... We have movement on SB1153. It has been moved out of Game and Fisheries to Appropriations. This is where a Bill gets reviewed to see if funds are needed. Since this is a non-funded Bill is should get moved to the Senate Floor quickly. Once on the Senate Floor it will be cross referenced to see if there are any other Bills out there like our HB2648, which the two Bills will most likely be combined and voted on.
 
******START YOUR ENGINES...READY...SET...******

Just got off the phone with my guy from PFSC(Pennsylvania Federation Sportsmen’s Club). He was just leaving the Capitol . He said he just ran into State Rep Wentling and asked about our Bill. Rep Wentling assured him the Bill to repeal Section 2308B Of Title 34 Unlawful Devices and Methods, was going to hit the ground running when session gets back into motion!!!!! He said it had full steam but just ran out of time last year. A new House Bill number will be issued since it is a new Session year, which we don’t have that yet, so be looking for updates here, as I will post all movements. Stay Tuned........
 
Not to rain on your parade but it sounded to me like it is going to be slow moving forward. After my wife spoke with him today, it does need to have a New House Bill number and there are new people that have to be brought up to speed on it too. Then the steps to get it to the Governor.

Amazing how slow politics really are. Wife told me it could take up to 6 months to 2 years. If we all could have jobs like that !

Let’s hope for the best !!!
 
I think most don’t understand what needs to be done. The state law needs a small revision in order for the Game Commission to ok us to use this equipment.

I spoke to Rep. Wentling about a week ago. This process is so frustrating for those of us waiting for this law to be changed. I asked him to move forward and get this in the form of a bill once again.

Don’t expect changes anytime soon !
 
..hopefully time doesn't run out this go round. It made good progress in the few months it had last session.

Had a chance to hunt NY in March with thermal....what a game changer.

The 20 step process we have to give the PA Game Commision control of things is a bit ridiculous. Maybe if it is put in money for the state aspect .. IE "state sales tax" . They would put it through faster...One $5000 thermal brings $300 in state sales tax here..that's a decent amount of Dunder Mifflin Paper Products..
 
Last edited:
Update :


PaLegis Notifications Individual Bill Updates
Manage Subscription | Unsubscribe | Follow @PALegis on Twitter
Wednesday, May 8, 2019 2019-2020 Regular Session

IMPORTANT: Emails are generated hourly and include all data input at the time the email is generated.

Updates for: HB1188

Upcoming Meetings
GAME AND FISHERIES (H)
05/14/2019
09:15 AM
Voting meeting on HB 1188, HB 1380 and any other business that may come before the committee. Room G50
Irvis Office

Follow @PALegis on Twitter
 
5/14/19
Update: HB1188

Actions:
PN 1385
Referred to GAME AND FISHERIES, April 11, 2019
Reported as committed, May 14, 2019
First consideration, May 14, 2019
Laid on the table, May 14, 2019

Will need the Second & Third consideration before moving into the Senate for the same steps if I understand the process correctly before it can go to the Governor’s desk.

https://www.yourerie.com/news/local-news...tion/2001911798
 
Last edited:
Back
Top