NJOA Legislative Update from 6/3/10
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Belmar, NJ June 3, 2010
NJOA Trustee Ed Markowski and Legislative Liaison Tom Connors testified in favor of two bills on behalf of the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance. Both bills were passed by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.
Bill A2304 revises statute concerning licenses to take menhaden
In a rare occurrence this bill had support of all interested parties and did not need additional testimony from organizations that were in attendance.
Assembly Bill No. 2304 provides that the Commissioner of Environmental Protection may only issue a license for a person to take menhaden with purse or shirred nets if that person possessed a valid license for at least one of the years between 2002 through and including 2009, and commencing in 2011, the commissioner may only issue a license to a person to take menhaden who (1) possessed a valid license for at least one of the years between 2002 through and including 2009, and (2) possessed a valid license in the preceding year.
The bill also provides criteria for the replacement and retiring of vessels used to take menhaden with purse or shirred nets.
Lastly, the bill provides that the Commissioner of Environmental Protection would regulate the taking of menhaden, including the issuance and transfer of licenses for the taking of menhaden, by rule or regulation and upon adoption by the commissioner of these rules and regulations, the provisions of section 2 of the bill would expire.
Bill S1181 150 foot bow perimeter bill.
This bill would amend current law to provide that no person, except the owner or lessee of the building and persons specifically authorized by the owner or lessee in writing would, for the purpose of hunting, taking or killing any wildlife, have in the person's possession a nocked arrow while within 150 feet of any occupied building in this State, or within 450 feet of any school playground.
Additionally, a person, while hunting with a bow and arrow in the perimeter established in the bill, would be required to be elevated so a person could angle an arrow downward.
Current law provides that no person may, for the purpose of hunting, taking or killing any wildlife, have in the person's possession a loaded firearm or nocked arrow while within 450 feet of any occupied building in this State, or of any school playground. The bill does not change the 450 foot requirement with respect to a loaded firearm.
