Why It Matters: The success experienced by the Mississippi Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus) since its inception in 2006, when they also joined the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC,) is largely due to a history of strong leadership coupled with steadfast support from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF). Featuring well over 100 members of the Mississippi Legislature, the Caucus recognizes the importance of hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and trapping in the Magnolia State. The bipartisan, bicameral Caucus serves to protect and promote these outdoor traditions.
Highlights:
- On December 3, during the Caucus’ organizational meeting, Representatives Scott Bounds, who also serves as a member of the NASC Executive Council, and Karl Gibbs were elected as House Co-Chairs and Senators Kevin Blackwell and Juan Barnett were elected as Senate Co-Chairs.
- The newly elected Co-Chairs will serve through the remainder of the current legislative term ending in 2028.
- Additionally, during the December 3 meeting, the Caucus voted to amend and update the Caucus by-laws for the first time since the Caucus’ inception in 2006, further ensuring the proud history of strong Caucus leadership will continue, even through any tumultuous elections in the future.
- The Co-Chairs will provide leadership on sporting conservation policy and protect Mississippi’s rich sporting heritage by ensuring that the interests of hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers are represented by pro-sportsmen legislators in the Mississippi Legislature.
The Mississippi Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus is among the largest and most engaged caucuses in the NASC network. They’ve also experienced a number of big wins for Mississippi’s hunters and anglers over the past several years. For example, in 2023, the Caucus successfully protected the financial privacy of Mississippi’s hunters and recreational shooters by prohibiting payment card networks from requiring or incentivizing the use of a Merchant Category Code that distinguishes a firearm retailer from other retailers (HB 1110). In 2022, Caucus Member Trey Lamar authored legislation (HB 606), co-sponsored by NASC Executive Council Member Representative Scott Bounds, that created an additional source of conservation funding for the state (Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund). In 2020, the Caucus was instrumental in legislation (HB 1577) which authorized a hunter education course for students in grades 7 through 12.
The Caucus typically hosts a variety of events each year to educate policymakers about the economic impact and conservation funding benefits sportsmen and women provide Mississippi. In 2023, Mississippi’s sportsmen and women generated over $42 million for conservation through the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding.
CSF looks forward to continuing to work alongside the Caucus to advance and protect pro-sportsmen initiatives in the Magnolia State.
