Hey Guys! My Sunday Hunting Bill passed in the House yesterday!!!!

There are only 7 States left w/this ridiculous old blue law. Legislators in Maine have been trying as long as any of the old timers can remember to get rid of it. My bill has gotten farther then any other Sunday Hunting bill. None have EVER passed the House. In fact only 3 even made it out of committee (2 of which were mine :-) ) Sorry if I sound like I'm bragging but this is a REAL big deal for me. I've passed many bills in my 3 terms as State Rep. but this has been the one I've worked the hardest for. My rural constituents REALLY want this and for them, so do I. The Gov. has agreed to sign it if it makes it to his desk but the Senate is going to be a challenge. Send good vibes to me next week when it goes there, K?


AUGUSTA -- The House of Representatives voted 72-63 Thursday on a bill that would allow hunting of small game on Sunday in unorganized territories. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Monica McGlocklin, D-Embden, would allow hunting rabbits and grouse only and defines a gated area in northwest Maine where the hunt would take place."I knew it would be close," McGlocklin said after the vote. "I was ecstatic. I won by more votes than I expected."

But it's not over yet. The bill could face two Senate votes and another vote in the House. If it makes it through the Legislature, Gov. John Baldacci will sign it, his spokesman, Lee Umphrey said. Of the 72 who voted in favor, 61 were Democrats, eight were Republicans, two were unenrolled and one is a member of the Green Independent Party. Those voting against included 10 Democrats and 53 Republicans.
Fifteen representatives were absent and the Biddeford seat is vacant.

This is the second time McGlocklin, who does not hunt, has brought forward a bill to allow some hunting on Sunday. She said the bill defines an unpopulated area in the North Maine Woods that's gated.
McGlocklin said the area is populated only by hunters, guides and timber harvesters. Hunting on Sunday anywhere else in the state would continue to be illegal, she said.

The House debated the bill for about one hour before taking the vote, with several speakers saying the idea of hunting on Sunday is not popular in their districts. Those who argued for the bill said people who work six days a week should be allowed to hunt on their one day off, which is usually Sunday. They described it as a narrowly constructed bill that would allow hunting in a specified area only.
"Give this a chance and see how it goes," said Rep. Matt Dunlap, D-Old Town. Dunlap said hunting was viewed as a business when the state outlawed many business transactions on Sundays in the late 1880s. Hunting today is a recreational activity enjoyed by many, he said.

But those on the other side called the bill "a foot in the door" for the expansion of hunting. The bill includes a two-year sunset provision that would cause it to expire unless the Legislature takes action to extend it. Rep. A. David Trahan, R-Waldoboro, said cross country skiers and snowshoers want a day when they will not have to worry about hunters. "Unfortunately, there are some things that no matter how you package them, they are just not supported by our constituents," Trahan said.

Others described it as an economic issue, saying Maine is one of only a few states that ban hunting on Sunday. Maine guides need the work, they said."This is a small-business bill," said Rep. Stanley Moody, D-Manchester. "These people need the business. They are trying to make a living up there. I think we ought to take a shot at this."

McGlocklin said the new law would take effect in January 2005, but that hunting would be allowed only during small-game season, which runs from October to March. She said her district, which includes parts of Franklin and Somerset counties, would benefit from the increased traffic that would pass through on the way to the woods.

"It gives people who want to do it a place to go, away from those who want to do hiking and biking," she said.

http://www.centralmaine.com/news/local/350239.shtml

And welcome back.

you deserve a little "brag time"

So when are you going to become governor, er, I mean president :)

http://www.bangordailynews.com/editorialnews/articles/415708_012304houseapprovessunda_medgecomb.cfm

:-)

Sundays it is fine with me. Just do not shoot the horses in the back field. A non-hunter in Maine.Good work.

..."The Sunday hunt passed with a slim majority, 73 to 63, mostly along party lines, with Democrats for and Republicans against. Legislators couldn't explain the partisan nature of the vote except to say that some Republicans who opposed the bill on religious grounds had tried to rally their caucus."

There are some here who say if you are in favor of hunting you must be a Republican.

That is good news both for you and for your constituents.!!

Keep up the good fight :thumbsup:

It's nice to know that a committed group of people with some leadership can make changes.

What is the nature of this gated area? Private club,etc?
If so, what is the mean income of the members?

Maybe there are those here that are more familiar with the story. If so, forgive my ignorance.

My point, (probably obvious) is:
is this an attempt to get priveledges for those that can afford it?

For example, in OK (where i am orig. from) it used to be that there was no "liquor by the drink" in bars...except at private clubs, the definition of which was narrowly defined (large membership fee,etc). In effect, the rich had legal "liquor by the drink", the rest didn't.

This is kind of hard to explain since Maine is quite unique in regard to access issues. We have very little public land unlike alot of States; especially those out west. We have lots of wilderness however; most of which is privately owned by paper companies.

For years those paper companies have always allowed (free) access mostly for PR reasons and the fact that we (Maine citizens) also provide them w/tax breaks when they put their land in what is known as "tree growth". Tree Growth is a way of assessing the tax value of the land, since unlike other forms of crops, (which payout annually) trees take years until they are ready to be harvested. Therefore the real value of the land is not taxed (to the degree it normally would be) until an actual profit is derived, and even then Maine is quite fair in regard to harvesting payouts...

Anyway, to make a long boring story short, sometime within the past 20 or so years, several large landowners formed an alliance and hired a non-profit org. called The North Maine Woods to monitor the activities of the public who use these properties. NMW erected a Gate system around the approx. 3.5 million acre perimeter on behalf of these 27 landowners. They then began charging "Gate Fees" to anyone who used the land for camping, hunting, fishing, whatever. It made alot of people mad, but don't get me started on that...

NMW claims they (or the landowners they work for) don't derive any profit from the Gate Fees; it covers their operational costs only-supposedly. I'm not entirely sure that's true, and I've butted heads with them over the years about it. However, I've let the matter rest for now.

They (NMW- on behalf of their landowners) have agreed to allow a 6000 square mile parcel of their land to be open on Sunday for hunting if my bill is passed. Even though the Gov. is willing to sign it, my bill still must make it through the Senate which will be tough. Sunday hunting has long been a contentious issue here in Maine since many claim they want "that one day" to hike, horseback ride ect. withought fear of being shot. Their concerns are reasonable IMO. So that's why I confined Sunday hunting to the far NW corner of the State where it is almost completely pure wilderness w/the exception of some sporting camps and timber harvesters. If my bill passes Sunday Hunting will remain illegal everywhere else.

Once I explain this to people most seem ok w/it. Unfortunately though alot of misinformation is 'accidentally-on purpose' ;-) being spread around by the R's who don't want me to bring this victory home to my people. It's an election year ya know.... (I say this because I can't think of any other reason why it became partisan) :shrug: They (the opposition have contiually tried to freak everyone out by making it sound as if this will be a Statewide hunt. They don't come out and say it but certainly imply it.

Anyway that's how things stand right now. And I hope I've answered your question. The Gate Fees were already in place in the NMW territoty so it's not like they are charging just for a Sunday Hunt. Supposedly they don't make a profit. I hope that's true. If you want to know more about NMW, here is their site. www.northmainewoods.org

I was stationed at Pease AFB in the 70's. You might be amazed at the number of Mainers who practically begged to come down to the hunting club on Pease (we had a large area on base set aside for hunting) for Sunday hunts.

This is just another example of a blue law that needs to go by the wayside. Good first step.

Those damn religious right bastards need to learn that Sunday is the day of rest, one tends to get a little drowsy after getting up at 4 am to go hunting!

Good job. I hunt Maine some, mainly for deer and mainly in the southern part of the state so it won't affect me, but it is a start. Keep up the good work.