Pa. Thermal / NV Law Change Progress

7/01/20
Updates for: HB1188

Legislative Actions New Action
HB 1188

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WENTLING - An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in hunting and furtaking, further providing for unlawful devices and method...
Memo: Amending the PA Game and Wildlife Code to remove restrictions on the use of thermal and night vision equipment for hunting. (Prior HB 2648)
PN 1385 Referred to GAME AND FISHERIES, April 11, 2019
Reported as committed from GAME AND FISHERIES, May 14, 2019
First consideration, May 14, 2019
Laid on the table, May 14, 2019
Removed from table, June 17, 2019
Second consideration, June 18, 2019
Re-committed to APPROPRIATIONS, June 18, 2019
Re-reported as committed from APPROPRIATIONS, June 19, 2019
Third consideration and final passage, June 19, 2019 (195-5)
In the Senate
Referred to GAME AND FISHERIES, June 21, 2019
Reported as committed from GAME AND FISHERIES, May 27, 2020
First consideration, May 27, 2020
Second consideration, June 8, 2020
Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS, June 8, 2020
Re-reported as committed from APPROPRIATIONS, June 22, 2020
Third consideration and final passage, June 23, 2020 (48-1)
Signed in House, June 24, 2020
Signed in Senate, June 24, 2020
Presented to the Governor, June 24, 2020
Approved by the Governor, July 1, 2020
Act No. 41


7/01/20 YAHOO! On my 42nd wedding anniversary Governor Wolf signed our bill to allow predator hunters to use thermal & night vision equipment !!!!!!

HB1188 now Act41 of 2020

PA-HB 1188 By Wentling. Amends Title 34 (Game), in hunting and furtaking, further providing for unlawful devices and methods. - H-Approved by the Governor  (Act:   41)

Next step is our Game Commission !
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Awesome bout time now see what the game commission is gonna do to it. Now I can bring my toys to Pa and use them. Does anybody know if it will go into effect this year or next or is it up to the game commission?
 
It is now up to the Pa. Game Commission !

The state law had to be changed first. Now that that is done the Game Commission can make the necessary changes.

Only time will tell !
 
It would be nice to use for all hunting..Be nice to record your hunts from squirrels to deer and bear. If allowed that I see alot of traditional scopes sales decline and scopes with the ability to record to sky rocket.Dan
 
Update
7/25/20
NIGHT-VISION OPTICS PRELIMINARILY APPROVED FOR FURBEARER HUNTING
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave preliminary approval to a regulatory change that would allow handheld and sporting-arm mounted night-vision and infrared optics to be used while hunting furbearers.
The change will not become effective unless the board casts a second vote at another meeting to adopt it. The board’s next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 25 and 26.
The preliminarily approved change would permit night-vision and infrared optics only when hunting furbearers. There are hunting seasons for the following furbearers: raccoons, foxes, coyotes, opossums, striped skunks, weasels, bobcats and porcupines.
Today’s vote follows the recent passage and signing into law of state House Bill 1188, which permits the Game Commission to regulate night-vision and infrared optics. Previously, the hunting use of these devices was prohibited by state law.
The board took swift action to begin the process of regulating these devices in response to comments the agency has received since the bill’s passage.
 
Update
9/26/20.
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9/26/20
Today the Pennsylvania Game Commissioners gave their final approval for the use of thermal / night vision equipment for use of taking furbearers !
BUT
It still needs to be published in the Pennsylvania manual before it is legal. Probably about 6 weeks !!!

I want to give a shout-out to Parke Wentling, my State Representative for working with me to bring this to a reality, Pa. State House of Representatives & the Pa. State Senate & to any and ALL THAT HELPED !!!!!
Especially to the PGC Commissioners !
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THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!!
 
Huge thank you also to Sheri Baity (crow woman)!!

I would like to thank and recognize PFSC Life Member Sheri Baity, a coyote hunter and farmer for the hard work of seeing a need to have the law updated and working to its resolution,” said Harold Daub, federation executive director. “Sheri started her quest in 2017, and working with the PFSC, started the legislative process in April of 2019. Now just a little over one year later, we have another needed update to Pennsylvania’s hunting rules. We would also like to thank both the House Legislative body and the Senate Legislative body for not playing ‘politics’ and weighing this down with amendments. HB1188 is cut and dry; it does precisely what it is designed to do, provide for the most updated use of technology for nighttime hunting.”

Sheri Baity worked with Wentling to develop the bill. Baity’s hunting time has been limited in recent years as she has spent countless hours traveling back and forth to Harrisburg and to various senator and representative officers to boost support of the bill.

She’s accustomed to travel! If you ever get a chance, check out one of her seminars, which detail coyote hunting and use of game calls. She’s develop her own line of calls, Crows Nest Calls, and packs seminars. She had hunted coyotes in PA, MT, NY, TX, AZ, WV and VA, using her trusty Winchester Model 70 .243, and has taken well over 100 coyotes in PA.

“I’ve spent two and a half years on this,” Baity said. “It passed through the House by a 95-5 vote, now after the summer break hopefully we can get it back on the table for September.”

Baity credited Wentling for his support.
 
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