Why It Matters: The 2026 legislative session is off to a hot start in the Great Plains, with legislation impacting sportsmen and women already on the move. Some states have CSF priority legislation that is carried over from the 2025 legislative session in addition to new legislation that was introduced in 2026.
Highlights:
- Iowa Senate Joint Resolution 7 (SJR 7) is a proposed constitutional amendment for the Right to Hunt and Fish to be included in the Iowa Constitution.
- Iowa House File 536 (HF 536) would create a firearm, hunting, and wildlife curriculum for students in sixth through eighth grade – a policy priority for The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF).
- South Dakota House Bill 1037 (HB 1037) would provide a free fishing license for resident active duty and veterans of the United States armed forces.
- This session, CSF will continue to track and engage on legislation that stands to impact sportsmen and women.
The legislative sessions in the Great Plains are in full swing with states wasting no time on introducing legislation that impacts sportsmen and women. Additionally, a few states have bills that are eligible to be carried over from the 2025 legislative session.
Last session, Iowa introduced Senate Joint Resolution 7, which would enshrine the Right to Hunt and Fish in Iowa’s Constitution. SJR 7 was initially approved by the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee but was then unfavorably amended, and CSF is actively engaged with partners and legislators to ensure that the language is remedied.
Also introduced last year in Iowa, House File 536 would create a firearm, hunting, and wildlife curriculum that may be implemented by school districts as an elective for students enrolled in sixth through eighth grade. Last session, HF 536 passed the House Education subcommittee, and will be a priority for CSF to get it to the finish line in 2026.
This year, South Dakota introduced House Bill 1037, which would provide active duty and veterans of the United States military a free fishing license. While CSF appreciates opportunities to show support for those who serve our nation as members of the armed forces, there are considerations associated with waiving license requirements to account for lost conservation funding that South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks (GFP) relies on for their conservation efforts in the Mount Rushmore State. CSF maintains that legislators should also include language to ensure that GFP is reimbursed for the funds lost to free or discounted licenses.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation is committed to working with legislators across the country, including the Great Plains, to promote policies that benefit hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers, and will continue to do so during this new legislative session.
