By Brett Stayton, Mid-Atlantic States Coordinator
The bipartisan and bicameral Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus has announced the addition of two newly elected Senators to serve in a leadership capacity for the 2019 legislative session – Senator Jack Bailey and Senator Katie Fry Hester.
Delegate Wendell Beitzel, a member of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Executive Council, and Delegate Ned Carey will both be continuing their leadership roles for the Caucus in the House.
Sen. Bailey served as a law enforcement officer for the Maryland Natural Resources Police for 30 years before retiring in 2017. Throughout his career, Sen. Bailey was able to propose changes to laws and regulations to protect Maryland’s natural resources.
“I’ve been passionate about hunting and fishing for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a rural area with a lot of opportunities to get outdoors with my friends and family and my desire to pass on those traditions to my kids is why I dedicated 30 years as a conservation officer,” said Sen. Bailey. “I’m excited to be a part of the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and I’m looking forward to working to protect and advance hunting and fishing opportunities for the sportsmen and women of Maryland.”
Sen. Hester is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and brings years of experience developing local agricultural markets by helping government agencies create jobs, advising companies on engaging key stakeholders, and training hundreds of people in partnership building.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation looks forward to working with both the returning and newly-designated Co-Chairs in the upcoming legislative session as they work to protect and advance the interests of Maryland’s 445,000 sportsmen and women.
Sen. Bailey duck hunting with his two children.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
