Why It Matters: The Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) brings together state legislators from across the Southeast. In conjunction with the SLC, the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC) and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) host an annual reception to provide state legislators and our partners with an opportunity to reflect on the year’s legislative session and the issues impacting sportsmen and women across the region.
Highlights:
- This year’s policy reception held in Birmingham, Alabama was a resounding success, with over 100 attendees from at least 11 different southern states.
- NASC Executive Council (EC) President Representative Jeff Wardlaw (AR) and NASC EC Member and past President Senator Robin Webb (KY) welcomed their legislative colleagues, spoke to the importance of our shared sporting traditions, and encouraged them to get further involved with the NASC network, including attending this year’s 22nd Annual NASC Sportsman-Legislator Summit.
- CSF staff spoke about the need for proactive policy approaches across the region, touching on examples from other states such as South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana that saw legislation or regulation pertaining to No-Net-Loss, hunter education in schools, or updating primitive weapons definitions.
In 2004, the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses was created by CSF to provide the structure necessary to protect and advance hunting, angling, recreational shooting, trapping, and professional fish and wildlife management in state capitols. 21 years later, NASC is comprised of more than 2,000 state legislators from 50 states. Having the opportunity for attendees to share recent policy successes and lessons learned from their states with others from across the region is a valuable opportunity to strategically collaborate on the advancement of our shared outdoor sporting traditions.
To touch on some of the items discussed at this year’s event. CSF staff spoke on current efforts (H3872) by CSF and the South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus to limit the loss of available acreage open to hunting (No-Net-Loss). H3872 will await action in the Senate during the 2026 legislative session after passing the House of Representatives unanimously in 2025. Additionally, CSF staff spoke to another current effort happening in Georgia through House Bill 451, which would allow public schools to offer hunter safety education courses in grades six through twelve. Again, this is a CSF led effort in coordination with the Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus. HB 451 awaits action on the Senate floor during the 2026 legislative session after passing the House and Senate committee nearly unanimously. Lastly, CSF staff spoke to recent success in Louisiana where we worked with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries as well as its Commission to update their primitive weapons definition to allow for the use of advancements in muzzleloading technology, such as the Firestick, increasing access and opportunity for hunters in Louisiana.
CSF thanks the members of the NASC network for attending as well as our sponsors for this year’s event: Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever, Coastal Conservation Association – Alabama, Alabama Chapter of National Wild Turkey Federation, Delta Waterfowl, and Safari Club International.
