Why It Matters: Prescribed burning enhances wildlife habitat, reduces wildfire risk, and improves forest health. Reducing regulatory and legislative barriers that restrict the use of prescribed fire will promote more controlled burning to support a wide range of wildlife species, including both nongame species and game species important to sportsmen and women.
Highlights:
- Legislation, led by the Co-Chairs of the Georgia and West Virginia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucuses, was signed into law recently that will expand prescribed fire use.
- Both bills were strongly supported in their respective legislative bodies.
- The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is a strong proponent of active forest management, including prescribed fire.
On May 6, Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Governor Brian Kemp (Georgia) signed House Bill 983 into law, prohibiting counties and municipalities from regulating prescribed burning for silvicultural purposes except for notice or permit requirements. The legislation simplifies regulatory oversight and provides regulatory certainty for landowners by clarifying that the state preempts the field of prescribed burning regulation. The legislation addressed the patchwork of local government regulations that limited the use of prescribed fire by providing a consistent statewide approach.
Sponsored by Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Representative Chas Cannon and Caucus Members Representatives Leesa Hagan, Steven Meeks, and James Burchett, House Bill 983 passed the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously (162-0 and 51-0, respectively) on its way to the Governor’s desk. CSF worked with the Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and provided testimony to support the legislation.
In West Virginia last month, a bill relating to prescribed fire use was enacted. On April 1, Governor Patrick Morrisey signed Senate Bill 886 into law, which clarifies liability standards for prescribed fire managers. Specifically, the legislation establishes a simple negligence standard for certified prescribed fire managers conducting controlled burns in compliance with the statutory requirements The bill also expands the definition of prescribed fire to include private property and establishing rulemaking authority for the Director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources for prescribed fire control on private property. The legislation updates state law that was not conducive to conducting prescribed burns on private property.
West Virginia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair Senator Bill Hamilton sponsored Senate Bill 886. After the legislation passed the Senate unanimously (33-0), the House of Representatives amended it and then also passed it unanimously (93-0). The Senate concurred with the updated version, sending it to the Governor’s desk. CSF provided testimony and worked with in-state partners and the West Virginia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus to support the bill.
CSF is thankful for the leadership of the Georgia and West Virginia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucuses and appreciates their dedication to improving policies that facilitate prescribed burning to improve wildlife habitat.