BILL NUMBER: S5420

SPONSOR: MANNION
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend part ZZ of chapter 55 of the laws of 2021, amending the
environmental conservation law relating to establishing a deer hunting
pilot program, in relation to extending the provisions thereof

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to extend the authorization for the deer
hunting pilot program from December 31, 2023, to December 31, 2025.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of this bill would amend section 2 of part ZZ of chapter 55 of
the laws of 2021, amending the environmental conservation law to extend
the authorization for the deer hunting pilot program from December 31,
2023, to December 31, 2025.

Section 2 of this bill provides that the effective date shall take
              

effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Hunting and outdoorsmanship are economically and culturally important in
the State. In 2021, the Legislature passed a law that enabled 12-and
13-year-olds to hunt deer under the supervision of an experienced adult
hunter. The program is opt-in by county, and, out of the 54 eligible
counties, a total of 52 adopted the program by notifying the Department
of Environmental Conservation (DEC) of their participation. DEC has had
ample time to assess its impact, which is overwhelmingly positive.

On February 1, 2023, DEC released a report affirming that the youth
hunting pilot program has been beneficial to thousands of families
across the State. In each of the first two years of the program, more
than 9,400 youth hunters have taken advantage of the opportunity to
hunt. There have been a total of zero hunting-related shooting inci-
dents, violations, or license revocations for 12- and 13-year-old hunt-
ers. Under the supervision of experienced adult hunters, youth hunters
are the safest hunting group in the State. A DEC post-hunting survey
confirmed that 82% of youth hunters and 87% of their adult mentors were
satisfied with their experience. The learning experiences and family
bonding opportunities offered by this pilot program, as well as the lack
of hunting-related incidents, stand as a testament to its success.

This bill would extend the deer hunting pilot program to the end of
2025. Youth hunters ages 12-13 will be able to continue hunting big game
with a crossbow, rifle, shotgun, or muzzle-loading firearm when accompa-
nied by a parent, guardian, or mentor. Extending the deer hunting pilot
program will allow more youth hunters to learn the basics of being a
safe and responsible hunter, as well as bolster family participation
outdoors. In the process, this program will continue to foster the next
generation of responsible environmental stewards in the State.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill will take effect immediately.