ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION RECAP: A COLLECTION OF EXCELLENT NEWS FOR SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN

ARTICLE CONTACT: KENT KEENE

Why It Matters: Even states as pro-sportsmen as Arkansas have opportunities to further support sportsmen and women by enacting new legislation. This session, Arkansas saw several important bills introduced, with many of them successfully crossing the finish line before the Legislature adjourned last week. From updating the No-Net-Loss baseline, to preempting laws related to knife possession, to recognizing the 75^th anniversary of the Dingell-Johnson Act, Natural State sportsmen and women have plenty to celebrate.

Highlights

• Arkansas’ 2025 Legislative Session recessed on April 16^th until May 5^th, at which time they can reconvene for limited remaining business or to adjourn the 95^th General Assembly sine die.
• During the legislative session, several key pieces of pro-sportsmen legislation were passed, including knife preemption language, liability protections for shooting sports events, protections against the tracking of firearm purchases, updates to Arkansas’ No-Net-Loss baseline, recognition of the 75^th anniversary of the Dingell-Johnson Act, and more.
• Additional legislative efforts to provide the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission with reimbursements for future discounted hunting or fishing licenses offered by the legislature failed to pass. However, the important conversations that this bill kickstarted will carry forward into future efforts to enact this legislation.

On April 16^th, the Arkansas General Assembly concluded their regular business for the 2025 legislative session and recessed until May 5^th, at which time they can reconvene for limited business or adjourn sine die. The 2025 session in Arkansas was one for the record books, with the Natural State passing several important bills designed to protect and advance opportunities for Arkansas’ sportsmen and women. Bills adopted this year include:

* Denotes priority legislation for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF)

House Bill 1007: Provides enhanced liability protections for the host of a shooting sports event.

• Signed into law on March 6, 2025.

House Bill 1117: Evaluates the appropriate age for in-school firearm safety instruction and provides guidelines for such curriculum across the state.

• Signed into law on March 4, 2025.

*House Bill 1418: Expands existing firearm preemption statute to include knives and knife-making components.

• Signed into law on February 25, 2025.

House Bill 1509: Prohibits the use of discriminatory merchant category codes to distinguish firearm retailers from other lawful retailers in the state.

• Signed into law on April 3, 2025.

*House Bill 1827: Updates Arkansas’ No-Net-Loss of public hunting and fishing access language to include both lands owned and leased by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

• Sent to Governor on April 14, 2025. Awaiting Governor Sanders’ signature.

*House Resolution 1045: Commemorates the 75^th Anniversary of the Sportfish Restoration Program as part of the American System of Conservation Funding.

• Adopted on April 7, 2025.

In addition to these bills, the progress of House Bill 1632 in both chambers represents a major victory for sportsmen and women. This bill would have provided the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission with reimbursements for any future discounted hunting or fishing licenses offered by the legislature. While the bill ultimately ran out of time, the conversations held this year will be invaluable as we continue to pursue this effort in the future.

CSF applauds the strong body of work produced this session by the sportsmen-legislators of the Natural State and is thankful for the leadership demonstrated by the Arkansas Legislative Sportsmen’ Caucus, led by Representative Jeff Wardlaw, Co-Chair and National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Executive Council President. CSF also thanks Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus member Governor Sarah Huckabee-Sanders for her signature on each of these important pieces of legislation.

LEGISLATION TO STRENGTHEN PRIVATE PROPERTY PROTECTIONS ON THE MOVE IN NORTH CAROLINA

ARTICLE CONTACT: CONNER BARKER

Why It Matters: Hunters work tirelessly to prepare year-round to pursue their favorite game species. As months turn into weeks and weeks turn into days, hunters dial in their calls, weapons of choice, and perhaps most importantly – the coveted in location as seasons approach. Hunters, especially in the East, often rely on private land for access. With over 80% of North Carolina’s lands being privately owned, private land is essential for hunting and fishing access as well as fish and wildlife conservation efforts.

Highlights:

• On February 27, Senate Bill 220, sponsored by several members of the North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus), was introduced which would strengthen private property protections by requiring that individuals receive permission before accessing public trust waters from land; or before hunting, fishing, or trapping on private land that is not posted in accordance with the provisions of S. 14-159.7.
• On April 8, Senate Bill 220 was amended to remove a section that would have prohibited the launching of motorized or non-motorized boats from a public right-of-way.
• Senate Bill 220 subsequently passed out of committee as amended and passed the Senate on a 40-2 vote and is now awaiting further consideration by the House.

More than 80% of land in North Carolina is privately owned, which underscores the importance of uniform private property protections. While North Carolina offers a wide variety of public lands open to pursuing your favorite game species, many hunters rely on private land to pursue our favorite time-honored traditions.

Access is constantly at the forefront of the minds of sportsmen and women regardless of the game species that they look to pursue. Hunters often count on the generosity of private landowners to either grant permission to hunt their property or allow for a property to be leased for hunting. By strengthening private property protections, and in turn combatting trespassing, both landowners and hunters who depend on private land for hunting access will benefit from the changes proposed in Senate Bill 220.

Furthermore, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) supports the removal of language from Senate Bill 220 that would have prevented a person from launching a motorized or unmotorized boat from a public right-of-way. If done safely, public right-of-ways offer valuable fishing access to public water. Further, anglers are the primary conservation funding source for fisheries management in North Carolina through license sales and matching federal funds through the Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration Act, also known as the Dingell Johnson Act, which places a 10% excise tax on fishing equipment. Through this “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding, critical conservation dollars are provided to manage public trust fisheries resources in North Carolina.

CSF celebrates the win for fisheries access and looks forward to working with the Caucus and our partners to strengthen private property protections and promote equitable access for North Carolina’s sportsmen and women.

States Involved: NC

SUNDAY HUNTING RESTRICTIONS UPHELD IN NORTH CAROLINA

ARTICLE CONTACT: CONNER BARKER

Why It Matters: In just a handful of states, Sunday hunting restrictions remain as remnants of puritanical blue laws originally enacted to encourage church attendance. Now, Sunday hunting restrictions limit the ability of sportsmen and women (the primary funders of conservation through the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding) to enjoy the very time-honored traditions which provide conservation value to all wildlife, habitats, and people of the state.  

Highlights:

• In 2015, The Outdoor Heritage Act became law making it legal in North Carolina to hunt with a firearm on Sundays on private property, with several exceptions.
• In 2017, The Outdoor Heritage Enhanced Act was passed, allowing the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) to open Sunday hunting on Game Lands, lifting the prohibitions against hunting within 500 yards of a residence and hunting in counties with populations greater than 700,000, and removing the statutory ban against migratory bird hunting on Sundays.
• In 2021, through the rulemaking process, the NCWRC opened Sunday hunting on 51 Game Lands and four National Forests for the first time in North Carolina’s history.
• On April 16, the North Carolina Court of Appeals unanimously upheld Sunday hunting restrictions in the Old North State.

Thanks to years of dedicated work from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), the NCWRC, the North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus), and many partners, North Carolina has secured several big victories on the Sunday hunting front. However, there is still work to be done as several key Sunday hunting restrictions are still in place in North Carolina, which include:

• A statutory ban on hunting with a firearm between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., using a firearm to hunt deer with the use of dogs, and hunting within 500 yards of a place of worship;
• Sunday hunting with a firearm is still not permitted on an additional 42 Game Lands;
• Sunday hunting is not permitted for migratory birds; and
• Bear hunting on Game Lands on Sundays in the Coastal Bear Management Unit is prohibited.

A three-judge Court of Appeals panel recently took up a plaintiff’s challenge of the constitutionality of North Carolina’s Sunday hunting laws. The lawsuit took the stance that specific Sunday hunting restrictions are unconstitutional, citing the constitutional right to hunt and fish enshrined in North Carolina’s state constitution, which guarantees the right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife including by the use of traditional methods. The constitutional right to hunt and fish still allows the NCWRC to regulate hunting and fishing in accordance with the law to promote wildlife conservation and management and preserve the future of hunting and fishing.

When addressing the restriction on migratory bird hunting on Sundays, the panel cited protecting lands and waters for both “hunters and non-hunters” and “enabling non-hunters to enjoy scenic game lands without disturbance” when justifying Sunday hunting restrictions. Additionally, regarding the statutory 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. private and public land Sunday hunting prohibition with a firearm, the court again referenced the non-hunting public stating that the current prohibition was “a valid exercise of the State’s police power” given the benefit to non-hunters, who will have a guaranteed window of time during which they will not be disturbed by hunting, and the extended hunting season in North Carolina.

While CSF supports diverse uses of public lands for multiple user groups, funding generated through the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding primarily pays for the acquisition and management of Game Lands in North Carolina. Thus, use of public lands should be managed with the needs of the consumptive user – hunters and anglers – at the forefront.

Furthermore, the court referenced compensatory hunting days that North Carolina receives to justify the prohibition on migratory bird hunting on Sundays. While it is true that the state would lose its compensatory days if Sunday hunting for migratory birds was allowed, the total number of hunting days would remain the same.

CSF will continue to work towards removing these existing antiquated Sunday hunting laws in North Carolina and other states with restrictions still in place.

CSF PRIORITY LEGISLATION TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS REINTRODUCED IN SENATE

ARTICLE CONTACT: TAYLOR SCHMITZ

Why It Matters: America’s federal public lands face a significant headwind of deferred infrastructure maintenance (roads, bridges, trails, campgrounds, etc.), which can ultimately limit access for sportsmen and women. This legislation will help provide federal land agencies much-needed financial resources to turn the corner on deferred maintenance.

Highlights:

• Last week, Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Member Senator Steve Daines and CSC Co-Chair Senator Angus King reintroduced the America the Beautiful Act, a bipartisan bill to help restore degraded infrastructure across our public lands.
• In 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act, which was strongly supported by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), was signed into law to provide permanent funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund as well as $9.5 billion over 5 years to address the deferred maintenance backlog on federal public lands.
• This legislation builds upon the Great American Outdoors Act by reauthorizing a critical component of the 2020 bill.

On Thursday, May 1, Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Senator Steve Daines and CSC Co-Chair Senator Angus King reintroduced the America the Beautiful Act, a top priority for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.

Specifically, this legislation will provide $10 billion over five years while also making improvements to the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), the section of the Great American Outdoors Act that sought to restore infrastructure on federal public lands. Since 2020, LRF has been instrumental in addressing the maintenance backlog across federal public lands to ensure these lands remain accessible for sportsmen and women and other outdoor enthusiasts.

While the National Park Service (where access is often limited to fishing only), faces the largest backlog of $23.3 billion, other federal lands that provide critical access for sportsmen and women, such as the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service also face a collective maintenance backlog of roughly $17 billion dollars. The reauthorization of the LRF will help address the backlog challenges facing our public land managers.

The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation looks forward to working Senators Daines and King to see the America the Beautiful Act become law in the 119^th Congress.

NORTH DAKOTA LEGISLATIVE SESSION RECAP

ARTICLE CONTACT: JAKE GOULD

Why It Matters: The North Dakota legislative session saw its fair share of legislation that would have had an impact on sportsmen and women, the state fish and wildlife agency, and wildlife. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) actively engaged on legislation that would have limited hunting access on public and private property, restricted the state fish and wildlife agency from creating baiting regulations, and prohibited the agency from using hunting license funds on anything related to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

Highlights:

• House Bill 1236 (HB 1236) (Defeated) would have prohibited the North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGFD) from using funds from hunting and fishing licenses on anything related to the research of Chronic Wasting Disease.
• Senate Bill 2137 (SB 2137) (Enacted) prohibits NDGFD from adopting and implementing any policies on baiting, or supplemental feeding, for the purpose of big game hunting on private property.
• Senate Bill 2168 (SB 2168) (Defeated) would have required hunters to have permission from neighboring landowners to hunt within 440 yards of a building, even if the structures were not located on the property they are hunting.

The North Dakota 2025 legislative session adjourned on May 3 and will not reconvene until 2027. While in session, legislators wasted no time introducing legislation that would have a direct impact on sportsmen and women, and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation was actively engaged on both pro and anti bills as they made their way through the legislative process.

Two pieces of legislation were aimed at undermining the wildlife management authority of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. SB 2137, which was previously reported on, ultimately passed and now strips the management authority of NDGFD from adopting or implementing policies related to baiting, or supplemental feeding, for the purpose of big game hunting. HB 1236 would have prohibited GFD from using funds from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses on anything related to CWD. CSF engaged throughout the process and provided testimony to the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee in opposition to the bill. HB 1236 ultimately failed to pass out of the House.

Also defeated during the session was SB 2168, upholding the current statute when hunting near occupied structures. If passed, hunters would be required to obtain permission from neighboring property owners to hunt their own land, or public land, if the neighboring landowner has a building within 440 yards of the property’s border, severely restricting access for hunting on both private and public lands. CSF submitted testimony in opposition to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, fortunately, SB 2168 failed, allowing access to hunting land without requiring permission to hunt within 440 yards of a structure.

Aside from legislation, Governor Kelly Armstrong joined the Governor’s Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) earlier this year. With Governor Armstrong joining, North Dakota’s long history of membership in the Governor Sportsmen’s Caucus continues.

States Involved: ND

CSF-PRIORITY FOREST MANAGEMENT LEGISLATION RECEIVES HEARING IN SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

ARTICLE CONTACT: JOHN CULCLASURE

Why It Matters: The Fix Our Forests Act would expand authorities and collaborative tools to support forest restoration treatments in high priority firesheds to reduce severe wildfire risk. Reforming federal forests management is a top priority for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) to address the wildfire crisis by enabling the efficient implementation at scale of forest health and wildlife habitat improvement projects on public land important to sportsmen and women.

Highlights: 

• More than 117 million acres of fire-prone forests on federal land threaten watersheds, fish and wildlife habitat, communities, and access for sportsmen and women.
• Already this year, 24,415 fires have burned more than 1,018,000 acres across the country, and the traditional wildfire season has not even started.
• The Fix Our Forests Act would increase forest resiliency by promoting science-based active forest management treatments through policy improvements long supported by the sportsmen’s community, including litigation reform, increased categorical exclusions acreages, and streamlined environmental reviews.

On May 6, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a legislative hearing on the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act (S. 1462). Sponsored by Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Members Senators John Curtis, John Hickenlooper, Alex Padilla, and Tim Sheehy, S. 1462 is the Senate version of the House version of the Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471), led by CSC Co-Chair Representative Bruce Westerman and also supported by CSF, which passed the House in January (279-141). CSF submitted a statement in support of S. 1462 and previously submitted a statement in support of H.R. 471 when the  Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology held a hearing on H.R. 471 in March.

Acting Associate Chief of the U.S. Forest Service Chris French testified that the U.S. Department of Agriculture supports the legislation. French said, “USDA strongly supports streamlining NEPA procedures under the National Environmental Protect Act and expanding existing categorical exclusions to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health.” French also noted the importance of fixing the 2015 Cottonwood decision that has been used by environmental groups to delay critical forest restoration work and cited the increased project costs in Forest Service regions where habitat projects are regularly litigated. Additionally, French stated that the U.S. Forest Service annually harvests less than 1/10 of one percent across the entire National Forest System, which shows how little of the National Forest System is actively managed, underscoring the need for reforms.

CSF appreciates the Agriculture Committee for holding this timely hearing as we approach wildfire season. CSF additionally thanks the sponsors of both versions of the Fix Our Forests Act for their leadership on this important issue for the sportsmen’s community and looks forward to working with them to see the Fix Our Forests Act signed into law this year.