UPDATE 5/4 FINAL: Legislative Session ended 5/3

 Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, etc. Bills:

S.B. No. 30, An Act Concerning Wildlife Management Programs Of The Department Of Environmental Protection. SUPPORT. Public Hearing held 2/18; JFS to Judiciary 3/13. Fawn Deer, increased powers of the Commissioner dealing with wildlife management DELETED. 3/20 Judiciary JF to the Floor. File No. 408. Amendment filed on Falconry. Senate Passed w/Amendment A (Powers of the Commissioner) & B (Falconry) 4/27. House Adopted Senate Amendment A, but Rejected Senate Amendment B (Falconry) House Adopted House Amendment (rock doves, monk parakeets) 5/2. Transmitted to Senate, Disagreeing Action: Not Addressed, Died on Calendar 5/3.

S.B. No 33, An Act Concerning Boating Safety.  To make changes to certain safe boating laws and to equate operation of a boat while under the influence of alcohol to the operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Public Hearing 2/18; JFS to the Floor 3/15. File No 319. Referred to Judiciary Comm. 4/5. JF Judiciary to Floor 4/11. MOVED TO FOOT of Calendar, SENATE 4/27. Died on Calendar 5/3.

S.B. No 34, An Act Concerning Natural Resources Programs Of The Department Of Environmental Protection. SUPPORT. To raise nonresident commercial fishing license fees and make certain changes to commercial fishing license statutes, to authorize the Department of Environmental Protection to collect certain fishery data, to update statutory provisions pertaining to the prevention and control of forest fires and to provide for outdoor recreation-related services at state parks and forests. Public Hearing 2/18; 3/13 JFS to Floor. File No. 284. Referred to Finance Comm. 4/5. Finance JF to Floor 4/11. Referred By Senate to Appropriations 4/19. JF to Floor 4/24. Senate Passed with Senate Amendment A (Disabled & Over 65 amendment for free parking, admission and boat access parking for use at any state park, forest or state recreational facility). 4/27. House Adopted Senate Amendment A; House Adopted House Amendment A (Lobsters); House Adopted House Amendment B (alcoholic beverages on state lands); House Adopted House Amendment C (purse seine registration): House Adopted House Amendment D (technical); Transmitted to Senate as Disagreeing Action; Not Addressed, Died on Calendar 5/3.

RAISED SB No 35, An Act Concerning Conservation Officers. To make the murder of a conservation officer or special conservation officer a capital felony and to give conservation officers the same powers given to sheriffs, police officers and constables. Public Hearing 2/18; NO ACTION - DEAD.

RAISED SB No 382, An Act Concerning The Motorboat Fuel Tax. SUPPORT. To provide proper distribution and application of motorboat fuel taxes and to assure that such funds are available to lake authorities. Public Hearing 2/25: JFS Finance, Revenue and Bonding 3/3. NO ACTION. DEAD.

S.B. No 380, An Act Concerning Animal Control Officer Training And Certification. To establish animal control officer training standards and to prohibit persons from acting as animal control officers without a certificate issued by the state. Public Hearing 3/6; JFS to Floor. File  No. 287. Referred to Govt Admin & Elections 4/5. No timely Committee Action - DEAD.

RAISED SB No 386, An Act Concerning The Powers Of Marine Patrol Officers. To authorize municipal marine patrol auxiliaries to stop vessels and to set standards and require training for such auxiliaries. Public Hearing 2/25; JFS Public Safety 3/3. No Action. DEAD.

S.B. 523, An Act Facilitating Administration Of Various Tax Laws. SUPPORT (Motorboat Fuel Tax - Fishing Senate Amendment B ) Senate Passed/House Passed 5/3. PASSED. SIGNED BY GOVERNOR.

H.B. No. 5059, An Act Concerning Hunting Safety.  SUPPORT. In several areas consistency (Penalties), clarification (definition) and simplicity has been achieved. As a result of several meetings with DEP, where our concerns were adequately addressed and compromises made, the Coalition of CT Sportsmen SUPPORTS the DEP Substitute bill. In addition to CCS support, the NRA Activist Caucus and the DEP Citizens Advisory Council have both voted to Support the Substitute. Public Hearing 2/18; JF to Judiciary. Judiciary JFS to the Floor 3/20. File No. 440. Referred to Finance Comm. 4/11. JF to Floor 4/17. 4/26  The House Passed the bill (136-9) amended by Amendment Schedule A (below). This technical amendment better defines "shooting an occupied dwelling." The House Ruled House Amendment B, the Tulisano/Lawlor amendment dealing with "Turn in your neighbor" Not Germane to the bill and it was withdrawn. New File No. 676. Senate Passed 5/1. PASSED. SIGNED BY GOVERNOR.

Amendment A:
To: Subst. House Bill No. 5059
File No. 440  Cal. No. 341

"An Act Concerning Hunting Safety."

In line 33, strike "shoots an occupied"
In line 34, strike "dwelling" and before the period insert "discharges a firearm so as to cause the projectile to strike or enter into any building occupied by people or domestic animals or used for storage of flammable or combustible materials" 

S.B. No 5584, An Act Concerning The Taking Of Menhaden Fish. SUPPORT. To protect the menhaden fishery in Connecticut waters by imposing a permanent moratorium on the fishing of menhaden by purse seine. File No. 82.  Public Hearing 2/25; JFS to Floor 3/3. House Passed 3/29. Senate Passed 4/5. PUBLIC ACT 00-16. SIGNED BY GOVERNOR.

H.B. No 5672. An Act Concerning Private Land Deer Permits. To allow limited deer permits on certain Indian reservations. Public Hearing 3/6; JFS to Floor 3/13. FILE NO. 233. House PASSED w/Amendment A, 4/12. New File No. 621. Senate PASSED. PASSED. PUBLIC ACT 00-67. SIGNED BY GOVERNOR.  

H.B. No 5673, An Act Concerning Domestic Animals, Licensure For The Control Of Nuisance Wildlife And Animals In Agricultural Events. SUPPORT. To allow regional dog pounds when the region's population is less than seventy thousand; to facilitate renewing an animal control license by making it once every two years rather than annually and adjusting the fee accordingly; to require applicants as nuisance wildlife control operators to be residents of this state or a state that allows nonresidents to be licensed; to make it clear that municipal animal control officers need a license to engage in most nuisance wildlife control; to facilitate the filing of annual reports; to clarify the context of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship to clarify the responsibilities of a trainer in animal drugging cases; and to make technical changes. Public Hearing 3/6, JFS to Floor 3/13. File No. 337. Referred to Committee on Planning & Development 4/4; JF to Floor 4/11. Referred to Appropriations Committee 4/13. JF to Floor 4/18. Not Addressed, Died on Calendar 5/3.

H.B. 5883, An Act Concerning The Open Space Trust Fund SUPPORT. House Passed/Senate Passed 5/3. (Farmland Preservation, House Amendment Schedule "A")  PASSED.

 Firearms, Ranges, Etc. Bills: 

S.B. No. 554,  AAC Providing for a Single Permit To Carry Pistols and Revolvers. SUPPORT. State Police bill which changes the Town Permit to a Temporary State Permit to allow for confirmation under Instant Check and allows on issue carry throughout the state and purchase anywhere within the state. PUBLIC HEARING 3/7; JFS to Floor 3/9. Removed Sec. 8 (Mandatory loss/stolen gun report/Class D felony) and Sec. 9 (Free State Dealer’s Permit for computer purposes; failure to obtain Class D felony). File No. 207. Referred to Planning & Development Committee 3/29. JF to Floor 4/2. Referred to Finance 4/12. JF to Floor 4/17. Senate Passed with Amendment A (Below). Transmitted to House. Not Addressed, Died on Calendar 5/3.

Amendment A, LCO No. 5030, Offered by: SEN. SULLIVAN, 5^th Dist., SEN. JEPSEN, 27^th Dist., SEN. WILLIAMS, 29^th Dist.To: Subst. Senate Bill No. 554. OPPOSE.

Strike out everything after the enacting clause and substitute the following in lieu thereof:
"(NEW) (a) For purposes of this section, "public building" means any structure owned or leased by the state of Connecticut and used for the conduct of business of a state agency, as defined in section 4-37e of the general statutes, within the Executive or Judicial Department of state government.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 29-35 of the general statutes, as amended, and section 53-206 of the general statutes, as amended, (1) no person shall, alone or in concert with others, bring into, or possess within, any public building, the official office of any public official or employee of the state or any building in which a public hearing is being conducted, any loaded weapon, and (2) no person shall, alone or in concert with others, bring into, or possess within, any such building or office, any dangerous weapon, as defined in section 53-206 of the general statutes, or any explosive or incendiary or other dangerous or deadly device. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a state or local police officer, a member of the Office of State Capitol Police or a police officer of any other state or of the federal government, who is carrying out official duties in this state, or any person summoned by any such officer to assist in making arrests or preserving the peace which such person is actually engaged in assisting such officer while such officer is in the performance of official duties, or any member of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in section 27-103 of the general statutes, as amended, or of this state, as defined in section 27-2 of the general statutes, in the performance of official duties, or any veteran, as defined in section 27-103 of the general statutes, as amended, performing in uniform as a member of an official ceremonial unit, or any employee of the Department of Correction or the Board of Parole while such employee is in the performance of official duties, or any person bringing into, or possessing within, any public building a hunting weapon at the date and time of a scheduled class of instruction in the safe handling and use of hunting weapons conducted pursuant to section 26-31 of the general statutes.
(c) A political subdivision of the state may, by vote of its legislative body, adopt the provisions of this section and said provisions shall be applicable to any structure owned or leased by such political subdivision and used for the conduct of business by such political subdivision, including the official office of any public official or employee of such political subdivision.
(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the possession of a firearm or deadly weapon in or on the real property comprising a public elementary school or secondary school or at a school-sponsored activity, as defined in subsection (h) of section 10-233a of the general statutes, which possession shall be subject to the provisions of section 53a-217b of the general statutes.
(e) Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor."

S.B. No. 555,  AAC Dangerous Weapons in State and Local Government Buildings. OPPOSE.  Prohibits legal carry of firearms in state and municipal Public buildings. Invalidates Pistol Permits by denying legal access. The slippery slope to eliminating permits by multiple restrictions. Sponsor: Sen. Sullivan. PUBLIC HEARING 3/7; JF to Judiciary 3/9. OPPOSE. NO ACTION BY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE 3/20 - DEAD! As expected a revised version of this bill resurfaced as an amendment on SB 554.

S.B. No. 601, AAC AAC Notification of the Change of Address of Firearm Permit Holders. OPPOSE. Public Hearing 3/13, JF to the Floor 3/20. File No. 397. Referred to Public Safety Committee 4/12. JF to Floor 4/18. Not Addressed, Died on Calendar 5/3.

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