Why It Matters: In the age of technology where at least 88% of children aged 13-18 use the internet daily, and roughly less than 40% of those youth hunt, fish, hike, etc. on a weekly basis, a change is needed to keep current and future generations of sportsmen and women on the landscape. Legislators seek to do just that through the development of an age-appropriate hunting and trapping program for grades 6-12 by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in consultation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC).
Highlights:
- Pennsylvania House Game & Fisheries Committee Chairwoman and Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus member, Representative Anita Kulik, introduced House Bill 2460 (HB 2460), which is a vital piece of legislation to protect the deep-rooted sporting heritage as well as conservation in the Commonwealth.
- HB 2460 passed out of the House Game & Fisheries Committee on May 6, 2026 (17 to 9) and then again out of the House of Representatives on June 30, 2026 (180 to 22).
- More recently, a similar version, Senate Bill 1418 (SB 1418), was introduced by Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair, Sen. James Malone. Both SB 1418 and HB 2460 are awaiting a hearing in the Senate Education Committee where the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) will be submitting testimony to encourage the passage of this initiative.
As previously reported,Under this legislation, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) will work together to create an age-appropriate hunting and trapping education program for grades 6-12 that includes firearm safety instruction by July 1, 2027. This legislation would make available to each school entity a developed model of hunter and trapper education for implementation if they choose. This legislation is vital as it seeks to not only protect and promote our sporting conservation heritage but also to solidify conservation funding through the American System of Conservation Funding. This initiative continues to be a top priority of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation applauds Representative Kulik and Caucus Co-Chair, Sen. James Malone, for introducing these vital pieces of legislation that will help protect the deep-rooted outdoor heritage in Pennsylvania. Students will gain an understanding of the history and importance of hunting and trapping and the role these pursuits play in conservation and wildlife management as well as how to safely handle firearms.
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