Why It Matters: When most people think of Nevada they think of Las Vegas or Reno. But the truth of the matter is, Nevada contains some of America’s most beautiful country. From the rocky, sage brush covered low desert, to the high, lonesome, snow-covered mountain peaks, Nevada’s diverse landscape is filled with equally diverse wildlife populations, with a vibrant sporting-conservation community there to protect it. Legislation that defends the American Model of Wildlife Conservation, or threatens it, is of relevance to sportsmen everywhere who rightly view Nevada as a destination state for hunting and fishing.
Highlights:
- Nevada Senate Bill 215 (SB 215), titled “Board of Wildlife Commissioners,” seeks to authorize the wildlife commission to issue wildlife salvage permits.
- Nevada Assembly Bill 53 (AB 53), titled “Outdoor Recreational Education,” seeks to allow schools to adopt new outdoor education opportunities, which could potentially include hunter education.
- Nevada Assembly Bill 87 (AB 87), titled “Wildlife Crossings Account,” seeks an appropriation to fund the design, construction and identification of new wildlife crossings.
- Nevada Assembly Bill 245 (AB 245), titled “Firearms,” seeks to raise the age to lawfully possess semi-automatic shotguns and rifles to 21 years.
SB 215: Sponsored by Nevada Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus co-chair Senator Robin Titus, SB 215 would allow the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners to issue wildlife salvage permits. This is an issue with growing interest and support across the west, given the very rural and open nature of the western states. Animal-vehicle collisions are frequent, and rather than allow the animal to be wasted, SB 215 would give the Commission the authority to allow Nevadans to make responsible use of the animal. The data collected from this will also help the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) better manage Nevada’s abundant game species.
AB 53: This interesting piece of legislation would provide for elementary school students to receive academic credit for certain outdoor recreational activities. As participation in our outdoor traditions continues to decline, AB 53 would help Nevada’s youth get engaged with the outdoors in new ways. This legislation specifically cites several approved activities, including archery instruction, but also leaves the door open to hunter education as well.
AB 87: Wildlife crossings are another growing issue in the west. As noted by SB 215 above, animal-vehicle collisions are frustratingly common. Other states have experimented with locating areas with a high propensity for wildlife crossing the highway and causing collisions, and constructing specially designed pathways over or under the highway that animals are attracted to and are willing to use. In other western states where this has been tried, like Colorado and Arizona, the program has been remarkably successful, sometimes nearly eliminating animal collisions altogether. AB 87 would authorize an appropriation for the state to engage in the locating and construction of these crossings in Nevada.
AB 245: This legislation is one of the most contentious bills in Nevada this year. AB 245 would prohibit the possession of any semi-automatic shotgun or rifle by anyone under 21. Of course, semi-auto shotguns and rifles are among the most common types used in hunting and are the best type of those firearms for people who are new shooters, small of stature, or recoil sensitive, since the semi-auto mechanism absorbs so much of the recoil. Further, any diminishment of the sale of these firearms or people deciding to no longer participate in hunting or recreational shooting because they can no longer use their preferred firearms, threatens the very funding NDOW receives, which is primarily comprised of Pittman-Robertson funding, and the sales of hunting tags and permits. Just last week, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) issued testimony to the Assembly Judiciary Committee in opposition to this harmful legislation.
As always, CSF will continue to work with legislators and our in-state partners to support SB 215, AB 53 and AB 87, and oppose AB 245, and engage as necessary on any other legislation affecting the sporting-conservation community.
