Please see the direct link to SB 347, Amended Bill & Supplemental Note.
Recent Hearing: The bill had a hearing this morning 3/20/2024 where a last-ditch effort was made to mislead the current Committee hearing the bill.
If you wish to watch the Committee work SB 347, the meeting will occur at 9AM TOMORROW 3/21/2024 and can be viewed here: KS Legislature - YouTube. Look for a live feed of the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs.
History: This bill has been proposed and is being pushed by the hunting lodges, guides and large landowners and leaser's who cater to non-resident hunters. This bill is their attempt to stack the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission in their favor, to the detriment of Kansas resident hunters, anglers and houndsmen. If passed it will effectively eliminate what we have all known to be a "non-partisan" board that past and current KDWP Commissions have been structured around.
Distortions and Untruths: The distortions made by Rep. Corbet lead to the conclusion that fast action needs to be taken.
1. Considering the decision to work SB347 on 3-21-24, and after viewing the comments made today by Rep. Corbet as a proponent of this bill, it became necessary to correct some misinformation received by this Committee. All 7 members of the current Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission fish and 6 are hunters.
2. The current Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission members are diverse and represent a variety of interests, as the Commission is designed to do. There are members between the ages of 40 and 70 and they are from across our state. They are agricultural landowners, birders, and state park users among many, many other things.
3. Another direct misstatement that was made to this Committee was that the Commission is failing the hunters of Kansas. The legislative history of this bill CLEARLY indicates the proponents of SB347 are organizations that derive profit from non-resident hunters (guides, outfitters, hunting lodges, huge land owners and leaser's). Those deriving profits in that manner, do so at the direct expense of the resident hunters of Kansas who cannot afford to pay, for example, $10,000 to a hunting lodge to take one deer.
4. Resident Kansas hunters are losing access to places to hunt because of the profits made by the proponents of this bill. Access is historically, by far, the largest barrier to increased hunting opportunities and hunters, in general.
5. Looking at the expected changes to occur to the bill while being worked, the inclusion of appointing power to the Attorney General office is misplaced. A far better alternative would be the Senate Minority Leader. Further, an amendment has previously been offered that would place requirements on the appointees that would demonstrate an understanding, participation, knowledge, and experience in the outdoor heritage we wish to retain in Kansas.
6. KBA has been very active before the Commission in the past and present. The Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission is currently a well-functioning part of our Kansas government and fulfills its part in the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. KBA has agreed and disagreed with actions taken by the Commission, but the Commission functions as it should.
Contact the Legislator's listed below in OPPOSITION to SB 347:
2024 House Leadership Contact Info. (see below):
Speaker of the House: Rep. Daniel Dawkins Work Phone: 785-296-2302 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Speaker Pro Tem: Rep. Blake Carpenter Work Phone: 785-291-3500 Work Email: [email protected]
House Majority Leader: Rep. Chris Croft Work Phone: 785-296-7662 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
House Asst. Majority Leader: Rep. Les Mason Work Phone: 785-296-7640 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
House Asst. Majority Whip: Rep. Susan Estes Work Phone: 785-296-7388 Work & Home Email: [email protected]
House Majority Caucus Chair: Rep. Kristey Williams Work Phone: 785-296-3971 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
House Minority Leader: Rep. Vic Miller Work Phone: 785-296-7630 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
House Asst. Minority Leader: Rep. Valdenia Winn Work Phone: 785-296-7630 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
House Minority Whip: Rep. Sawyer Clayton Work Phone: 785-296-7548 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
House Minority Caucus Chair: Rep. Barbara Ballard Work Phone: 785-296-7697 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
House Minority Agenda Chair: Rep. Jerry Stogsdill Work Phone: 785-296-7692 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
House Minority Policy Chair: Rep. Christina Haswood Work Phone: 785-296-7652 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
2024 House Committee on Federal & State Affairs (see below):
Chair: Rep. Will Carpenter Work Phone: 785-296-7660 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Vice Chair: Rep. Tom Kessler Work Phone: 785-296-8610 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Ranking Minority Member: Rep. Jo Ella Hoya Work Phone: 785-296-7331 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Brian Bergkamp Work Phone: 785-296-1177 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Tory Marie Blew Work Phone: 785-296-7363 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Ron Bryce Work Phone: 785-296-6014 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. David Buehler Work Phone: 785-296-7653 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. John Eplee Work Phone: 785-296-8621 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Randy Garber Work Phone: 785-296-7665 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Kirk Haskins Work Phone: 785-296-7673 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Christina Haswood Work Phone: 785-296-7652 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Dennis "Boog" Highberger Work Phone: 785-296-7122 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Michael Houser Work Phone: 785-296-7679 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Leah Howell Work Phone: 785-296-7693 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: NA
Rep. Kyle McNorton Work Phone: 785-296-7460 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: NA
Rep. Silas Miller Work Phone: 785-296-7631 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Lisa Moser Work Phone: 785-296-7637 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. John Resman Work Phone: 785-296-7636 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Louis Ruiz Work Phone: 785-296-7885 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Clarke Sanders Work Phone: 785-296-7369 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Sawyer Clayton Work Phone: 785-296-7548 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Adam Smith Work Phone: 785-296-0715 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
Rep. Adam Thomas Work Phone: 785-296-3113 Work Email: [email protected] Home Email: [email protected]
crestedbutte's Link
Hello Virgil, I hope this message finds you well. Rep Corbett is at it again with SB 347. This is yet another one of his attempts to selfishly manipulate Kansas law to his advantage. While the KDW&P Commission is not perfect, I do believe they have the best interest of the state and residents at heart. Corbet is attempting to change law so HE and some of his cronies can manipulate the commission to his advantage. PLEASE vote against SB 347 and advise others to do so a well.
Email sent to House, and some media outlets, please act now fellas!
Thanks for the heads up JW
Just an update - the bill passed out of FSA committee earlier this morning. Not sure it will go “above the line” for House action this session. You never know for sure, but my feeling is it will not. If it does make it to conference committee it will undoubtedly be significantly changed.
Watching now.
sitO's Link
sitO's Link
What to Do: Contact your Representative ASAP and request they OPPOSE this bill and protect Kansas resident hunters.
Here's a summary regarding the bill's current status: The bill would dissolve the existing Commission on 12-31-24 and establish a new Commission on 1-1-25. The composition remains seven Commissioners. The Governor will appoint four members, while the Senate President, House Speaker, and Attorney General will each appoint one. Appointees of the Governor must represent different KDWP Regions, of which there are five, with the Attorney General's appointee coming from the remaining region. No Senate confirmation is required. The political makeup will consist of four Republicans and three Democrats. Terms are staggered to prevent a complete turnover at once, and a chairperson will be elected every other year by the Commission members.
The basic concerns for this bill are:
1. The Commission really isn't broken and there is no justification given by the proponents of the Bill for dissolving it.
2. The proponents of the bill clearly hope to utilize this strategy to pack the Commission in favor of the privatization of wildlife and transferable deer tag groups.
BHA recently had Randy Newberg on the Kansas BHA Podcast and he provided an education in the broader picture of current conservation in America. Kansas Podcast - Backcountry Hunters and Anglers . To summarize one part of our discussion, the attack on our Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission is not isolated. Attacks on Commissions are happening all across America. For the past 70 or 80 years, Wildlife Commissions were not a huge political issue. But that is no longer the case. The Commission attacks are coming from different sources in different states, but the result everywhere will be extremely diminished or no hunting, fishing, trapping and other similar outdoor traditions.
In states like Colorado and Washington, the threat comes from anti-hunters. In places as different as Kentucky, Montana and Kansas, the threat comes from businesses masquerading as hunters that seek to change wildlife into an asset to be bought and sold. They seek to require payment from all outdoorsmen before being granted the privilege of hunting or fishing. This approach was and is used in monarchies where the wildlife become "The King's Deer" and no one can hunt unless allowed to do so by the King. The current efforts here in Kansas would generally make "Kings" of the big landowners and leaser's, hunting lodges, outfitters and guides. Wildlife in America has always belonged to the citizens of each state, but the groups attacking the Commission in Kansas want to change that fundamental American institution.
Time to step it up if you haven't already. Thx!
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In a couple of weeks, hopefully we’ll find that SB347 was thrown right where it should be…..on the trash pile. However, don’t be surprised if it takes an unexpected quick turn so be “at the ready.” In the meantime, please reach out to your Rep’s and request that they provide you a SB 347 “status update” in order to stay on top of it for yourself.
First and foremost baiting is getting banned…he said I could count on that. Second is at least half the Non-Resident tags are getting cut in half right from the top and maybe more later on. Third…there might be some changes on how Non-Residents hunt their land up there. Pretty good news for residents!!!
