Why It Matters: The New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, in partnership with the New York Sportsmen’s Advisory Council (NYSAC) and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), hosted their Aannual Sportsman-Legislator breakfast to discuss policies that will protect and promote the Empire State’s deep rooted outdoor heritage. Events such as the New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus’ breakfast are crucial, as they allow Caucus members to gather and discuss the year ahead while acquainting themselves with the organizations that serve as valuable resources on all matters hunting, fishing, recreational shooting and trapping, such as those that make up the New York Sportsmen’s Advisory Council. Additionally, the event served as an opportunity for Caucus Co-Chairs Senator Joseph Griffo, Senator Michelle Hinchey, Assembly Member Aileen Gunther, and Assembly Member Robert Smullen, to speak to their fellow legislators and sportsmen and women about the importance of protecting and promoting New York’s outdoor heritage.
Highlights:
- On January 24, the New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus hosted a breakfast briefing in Albany that brought together leaders and members from the Caucus, New York Sportsmen’s Advisory Council (NYSAC), and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.
- During breakfast, NYSAC released their 2024 Policy Priorities and Positions Booklet, which is an important tool that provides clear and consistent messaging of legislative priorities from the Empire State’s sporting-conservation community.
- All four Caucus Co-Chairs provided remarks on the importance of the sportsmen’s community and their impact on conservation funding through the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF).
On January 24, the New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus convened for their Annual Sportsman-Legislator Breakfast in Albany. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s Kaleigh Leager, Senior Coordinator, Mid-Atlantic States, Fred Bird, Assistant Manager, Northeast States, and Brent Miller, Vice President, Policy, attended the meeting and welcomed new and existing members to the event. Mrs. Leager thanked the Caucus and NYSAC for working hard to ensure that the interests of sportsmen and women are advanced and protected in the Empire State.
NYSAC Member, Bill Wilbur took to the podium (representing the NY State Chapter of NWTF) where he discussed the history of NYSAC and encouraged attendees to review their 2024 Legislative Priorities & Positions booklet. This booklet is a collection of policy position papers and fact sheets that members of NYSAC compile each year to help provide guidance to the caucus on some of the top-line priorities for the sportsmen’s community. Some of the items in the booklet include expanding crossbow use afield, making permanent the recently approved allowances for 12 and 13-year-olds to hunt with a firearm and crossbow for big game, and eliminating the use of back tags, and protecting the fish and wildlife management authority of the Division of Fish and Wildlife. Caucus Co-Chairs Senator Joseph Griffo, Senator Michelle Hinchey, Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, and Assemblyman Robert Smullen then took to the podium to speak about their interests in our outdoor pursuits and the important roles that hunting and angling play in New York.
CSF would like to thank the leaders of the New York Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and the NYSAC for their continued efforts and assistance in organizing events such as this Caucus breakfast. CSF looks forward to working with all parties towards the advancement of pro-sportsmen’s policies in the Empire State.
