Senate Bill 224 has now been assigned to the House Fish & Game committee. There are 18 members on this committee and it isn’t too early to start telling them what you think about SB 224. The following e-mail address will get your message to all 18 committee members:
HouseFishandGameAndMarineResources@leg.state.nh.us . To see the contact information on each individual committee member, go to:
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/committeedetails.aspx?code=H42 and click on each representatives name.
This bill has been scheduled for a public hearing on April 24 at 1:00 in rooms 305-307 in the Legislative Office Building (just West and across the street from the gold dome State House). We will ALL NEED TO MAKE EFFORT TO SHOW UP AT THAT HEARING . When you enter the hearing room look for the sign-in sheet . . . write your name and indicate if you are for or against the bill (SB 224) and if you want to speak to the committee members. If you choose to speak, it is always a good idea to give 19 copies of your written testimony to the clerk who will then distribute it to the members. Relax and just be yourself. Just tell how the bill would affect you and/or your business. Please keep in mind too that the House reps are just folks like you and I and want to hear/read what you have on your mind. There is no question that the NH Lakes Association will be strongly encouraging their members (thousands who are lakeshore property owners) to phone and e-mail these 18 House Reps. So it is IMPERATIVE that we anglers make a BIG effort to counter this. Do NOT sit on your hands or you are likely to lose all your jigs and it will end up costing you hundreds of dollars each.
Do everything to get a half day off work to be there and sign in. You do not have to speak unless you want to. It would be great for some of our Jr. Bassmasters and other youth to testify that they can’t afford to buy tungsten jigs. It would be a great experience for these youngsters to not only see the legislative process, but to participate in it.
This is now how SB 224 reads with the amendment:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/amendments/2012-1440S.html If you need more background information on this issue, send me an e-mail.
Please pass this e-mail on to others who you do not see in the “To” header.
Best,
Dick
Richard “Dick” Smith
Conservation Director
New Hampshire Bass Federation
