THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY HANNA, GERGELY, AUMENT, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, GEIST, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, HESS, HORNAMAN, KORTZ, KOTIK, KRIEGER, LONGIETTI, MIRABITO, MULLERY, READSHAW, WATERS AND YOUNGBLOOD, NOVEMBER 28, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAME AND FISHERIES, NOVEMBER 28, 2011  

AN ACT

Amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes, further providing for powers and duties of

commission; and establishing the Antlerless Deer Harvest

Committee.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 322(a) and (c)(13) of Title 34 of the

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:

§ 322.  Powers and duties of commission.

(a)  Duties.--It shall be the duty of the commission to

protect, propagate, manage and preserve the game or wildlife of

this Commonwealth and to enforce, by proper actions and

proceedings, the laws of this Commonwealth relating thereto. In

fulfilling this duty, the commission shall focus primarily on

serving the interest of sportsmen and our special heritage of

recreational hunting and furtaking.

* * *

(c)  Specific powers and duties.--In order to administrate

and enforce this title, the commission through proper action

shall:

* * *

(13)  Serve the interest of sportsmen by preserving and

promoting our special heritage of recreational hunting and

furtaking by maximizing the sustainable harvest of the

whitetail deer herd and providing adequate opportunity to

hunt and trap the wildlife resources of this Commonwealth.

Section 2.  Title 34 is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 2315.  Antlerless Deer Harvest Committee.

(a)  Establishment.--The Antlerless Deer Harvest Committee is

established.

(b)  Composition.--The committee shall consist of licensed

hunters. One member shall be appointed by each of the following: 

(1)  The Board of Commissioners of the commission.

(2)  The President pro tempore of the Senate.

(3)  The Minority Leader of the Senate.

(4)  The Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(5)  The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(c)  Restriction.--No member of the commission may be

appointed to the committee.

(d)  Term.--

(1)  The member appointed under subsection (b)(1) shall

serve an initial term of four years.

(2)  The members appointed under subsection (b)(2) and

(5) shall each serve an initial term of three years.

(3)  The members appointed under subsection (b)(3) and

(4) shall each serve an initial term of two years.

(4)  Upon expiration of the terms under paragraphs (1),

(2) and (3), members shall serve terms of four years.

(e)  Vacancies.--A vacancy on the committee shall be filled

by the appointing authority for the balance of the term.

(f)  Chair.--The chair shall be elected annually by a

majority vote of the members of the committee.

(g)  Duties.--Notwithstanding any other law, the committee

shall determine the total antlerless deer licenses allocated for

each wildlife management unit. In making the determination, the

committee shall do all of the following:

(1)  Receive the written allocation recommendations from

the commission under subsection (i).

(2)  Within 45 days of receipt of the recommendations

under paragraph (1), accept or change the allocation

recommendations for each management unit provided by the

commission by a majority vote of the committee. If the

committee fails to act within 45 days of receipt of the

allocation recommendations, the allocation recommendation for

that management unit shall be deemed to be accepted by the

committee.

(h)  Expenses.--Members of the committee shall receive no

compensation for their services but shall receive reimbursement

for necessary and proper expenses for attendance at meetings.

(i)  Duties of commission.--The commission shall:

(1)  Provide to the committee written allocation

recommendations for antlerless deer license allocations for

each management unit for the upcoming hunting season by April

1 of each year.

(2)  Provide or produce any data or study requested by

the committee.

Section 3.  The Antlerless Deer Harvest Committee shall be

established within 30 days of the effective date of this section

and shall determine antlerless deer license allocations

beginning with the 2012 antlerless deer hunting season.

Section 4.  This act shall take effect immediately.