S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2312
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  SMULLEN, K. BROWN, TAGUE, PALMESANO, JENSEN,
   MANKTELOW, MAHER, McDONOUGH,  LEMONDES,  BRABENEC,  DiPIETRO,  GIGLIO,
   HAWLEY, DeSTEFANO, ANGELINO, E. BROWN -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Environmental Conservation
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  environmental  conservation law, in relation to
   establishing a hunting mentorship program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
 new section 11-0936 to read as follows:
 § 11-0936. HUNTING MENTORSHIP PROGRAM.
   1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, "QUALIFIED  HUNTING  MENTOR"  OR  "MENTOR"
 MEANS A PERSON WHO SATISFIES ALL OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
   (A) THE PERSON IS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER;
   (B) THE PERSON HOLDS BOTH A VALID CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION OF A HUNT-
 ERS' EDUCATION COURSE AND A CURRENT VALID HUNTING LICENSE;
   (C)  THE  PERSON IS THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF THE PERSON FOR WHOM THEY
 ARE SERVING AS A MENTOR OR IS AUTHORIZED BY THE PARENT  OR  GUARDIAN  TO
 SERVE  AS  A  MENTOR; PROVIDED THAT THIS REQUIREMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO A
 PERSON SERVING AS A MENTOR FOR A PERSON WHO IS TWENTY-ONE YEARS  OF  AGE
 OR OLDER; AND
   (D)  AT  ALL  TIMES  WHEN  SERVING  AS A QUALIFIED HUNTING MENTOR, THE
 PERSON IS WITHIN ARM'S REACH OF THE PERSON FOR WHOM THEY ARE SERVING  AS
 A MENTOR.
   2.  A  PERSON  WHO  IS  AT LEAST TEN YEARS OF AGE MAY HUNT SMALL GAME,
 FOWL, DEER OR BEAR IN  THIS  STATE  DURING  APPLICABLE  SEASONS  WITHOUT
 OBTAINING  A  HUNTING LICENSE OR HUNTER'S EDUCATION COURSE CERTIFICATION
 AND MAY, WHILE HUNTING, POSSESS OR CONTROL A FIREARM  IF  AT  ALL  TIMES
 WHEN  HUNTING,  THE  PERSON IS WITHIN ARM'S REACH OF A QUALIFIED HUNTING
 MENTOR.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03556-01-5
 A. 2312                             2
              

 
   3. A PERSON WHO IS AUTHORIZED TO HUNT WITH A MENTOR UNDER THIS SECTION
 AND A MENTOR UNDER THIS SECTION WITH WHOM THAT PERSON HUNTS MAY  JOINTLY
 HAVE  ONLY  ONE  FIREARM,  ONLY ONE BOW, OR, IF HUNTING WITH A CROSSBOW,
 ONLY ONE CROSSBOW IN THEIR POSSESSION OR CONTROL WHILE HUNTING.
   4. A QUALIFIED HUNTING MENTOR MAY SERVE AS A MENTOR UNDER THIS SECTION
 FOR ONLY ONE PERSON AT A TIME ON ANY HUNTING TRIP.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.