PA Senators- Yes, NO and Undecided #147
Pennsylvania
These Senators are committed YES votes so if you want to contact them feel free to send a Thank You message....but the other Senators not listed as Yes votes or the ones who have voted NO in the Game and Fisheries Committee are the ones the REALLY need to be contacted with your support of Senate Bill #147. Thanks again bowhunters. Yes Votes Alloway, Richard L. (R) District 33 Street, Sharif (D) District 3 Boscola, Lisa M. (D) District 18 Langerholc, Wayne (R) District 35 Brewster, James R. (D) District 45 Laughlin, Daniel (R) District 49 Yaw, Gene (R) District 23 White, Donald C. (R) District 41--Retiring end of Feb. Yudichak, John T. (D) District 14 Scarnati, Joseph B. (R) District 25
NO Votes---BUT THEY CAN CERTAINLY BE SWAYED!! Stefano, Patrick J. (R) District 32 Vogel, Elder A. (R) District 47 Mensch, Bob (R) District 24 Dinniman, Andrew E. (D) District 19
I contacted Senator Tommy Tomlinson R District 6 from the area I live in. I left a message and got a return call from his assistant. It was a great conversation. She did say this was a hot topic and there office has received many calls in support of Bill #147. I was lead to believe Senator Tomlinson would be supporting Bill # 147. I also made it known that I have voted for Senator Tomlinson every time he's been on the ballot and I'm looking for his support now.
My senator was a staunch no vote. Learned today he may be coming around. The other day he put out a 10 question survey on his FB page, including a SH question. I was told well over 70% were in favor of SH. He told Sen Laughlin he is reconsidering.
Send Ryan Aument Lancaster County
Thanks DCNOE and Brad...This is exactly how it seems to be working. The Senators are finally hearing from Sportsman who are re-energized after many years of frustration. The Passing of the Game and Fisheries Committee has people taking, news papers, and TV News Stations reporting. The NRA has been contacting Senators telling them this is a "REport Card" issue so a no vote negatively affects the NRA endorsement. Keep calling please.
Okay looks like York Co, Senator Kristin Phillips- Hill Dist. 28...is a supporter of Sunday Hunting and will be voting YES on this Legislation. Fe free to call her office and wish her thanks or call the office of other Senators and ask them for their support and an explanation of their position.
My Senator, Aument is having an open house at his office tomorrow. It's a few blocks away. Gonna go talk to him.
WOW! I was beginning to wonder if I would ever see things get THIS far! Now there seems to be real hope that this just may become a reality!(soon ;-)
Both Chairmans of the House fish and game are in support. In fact, yesterday the minority chair attended a HUSH event out by Pittsburgh and spoke in favor. Senator Brewster also attended that event.
The new HUSH leadership is great!
I am a bow hunter and do not support Sunday hunting in Pa. From what I understand the bill only authorizes 3 Sunday hunting days and only for anterless deer. The hunting is to only take place on State Lands. You can hunt deer in Pa from the middle of Sep to the end of Jan, seems to be enough time without the three extra days. You have to ask yourself, if Sunday hunting is worth upsetting Farmers and Private landowners.
Gunner, your being short sighted. Your compassion for farmers aside, there are plenty of people that welcome the opportunities and look to have this illegal religion based biased blue law repealed. I am also a hard core bowhunter for over 25 years now. And people are upset with us just plain hunting, does it really matter what day it is on? Private landowners and farmers can do what they like with their property, they own it. However the restrictions put on this day is stupid beyond words. Let the PGC paln the use of those days and they have not even decided what to do with it when they get it, do not listen to the fear mongers please.
Bowhunting 5C There already is hunting on Sunday in Pa. You can hunt crows, foxes and coyote. So it has nothing to do with blue laws or religion. As far as private landowners go, if it wasn't for them we would have no game to hunt in Pa. You can bet too that your going to pay to hunt on Sunday much like pheasant hunting. Further I think studies have been done in the past and the results support no Hunting on Sunday. Prove me wrong and survey everyone who buys a license.
Gunner, surveys have been done. 53% support SH. That goes up drastically as the demographic gets younger. You are NOT going to have to pay to hunt Sundays, I'm not sure where you got that. If you can point out to me where that has even been suggested I'd be interested. 1.5 MILLION gameland acres in PA. I bet you can find some game on them, I do.
Now, as to the 'already is hunting on Sunday' if you look, those are exceptions to a Blue Law that someone was able to get. It has everything to do with Blue Laws, it was put in as a Blue Law and there have been 'exceptions' granted. No one has ever been able to point out why a fox is considered worthy of hunting on Sunday but a pheasant isn't. Let's let the PGC determine what should get hunted and when.
Gunner,, did you read the bill?? I just went and reread the bill and you are not correct in what you posted above or I'm reading it wrong. And a amendment to the blue law was made years ago to just allow crows, coyote and fox to be hunted on Sundays not anything else. So yes it's the blue law that's keep us from hunting anything else on Sundays.
As for hunting licenses I think our licenses are cheap.. I would love to see the license go up, so that they have more money to buy and manage more gamelands.. I don't think having more gamelands is a bad thing.
As for hunting time I guess you have time to do it. As for me I didn't get but half days on Saturdays (north season) to hunt in archery season, but did get full days when I took off work for 4 days of the archery bear/deer overlap.
Prove you wrong??? LOL
I don't care what made-up surveys say. I don't care what the farm bureau says. Why would any hunter oppose more time in the field?
And how do you suppose they would charge for Sunday hunting? That sounds ludicrous to me.
Gunner...Senate Bill #147 will simply remove the Sunday Hunting Prohibition and stiffen trespassing laws to help landowners who do not want trespassers. That is ALL. It DOES NOT ESTABLISH SUNDAY HUNTING. I think the BEST way to look at Senate Bill #147 is a "Freedom of Use" bill. It will simply remove the Government Prohibition to Hunt on Sunday. If you look at Title 34- Game laws, Coyote, Fox and Crow are specifically exempted from the Sunday Hunting prohibition. ALL other game species are prohibited from being hunted...Not as a result of biologists recommendations or game management experts but by a Prohibition of the Government.
It is just one more example of Government overreach...telling citizens what they can and can not do on a Sunday. The Bill does not establish ANY sort of hunting regulation. It simply removes the prohibition. IF, IF, IF this bill passes. It will then be up to the PA Game Commission to establish SUnday hunting and decide on seasons and species to be hunted.
As it stands...EVERYONE in PA is prohibited from hunting on their own private land on Sundays if they want and Hunters who paid for State Game lands are prohibited from hunting in Sunday.
The "3 Sundays" that you reference in your original post is simply what the PA FARM Bureau has supposedly reported it would agree to in order to stay neutral on this bill. Meaning they will not oppose it. The PA Farm Bureau is a victim of its own by-laws in that they only meet to vote on policy once a year in Nov. So they are basically not able to change their policy even as laws potentially affecting their members come up.
I know MANY farmers and many members of the PA Farm Bureau that are in favor of Sunday hunting. They better than ANYONE understand that they do NOT want the Government being able to tell them what to do on their own land on a Sunday.
Please feel free to ask any questions about Senate bill #147. I would certainly be willing to dispel any additional myths about this bill and about SUnday Hunting.
If I made people mad that was not my intent. I too buy a hunting license and I do not support hunting on Sunday just want to let you know why. Without the farm bureau it never passed on previous attempts. Why not survey all hunters who buy a license and see where it falls? The PGC doesn't have enough monies to do what they are charged with now. Somehow they will have to fund the additional people to regulate Sundays.
Crows, foxes, and coyotes oh my... Really? That's funny. I am sure everybody enjoyed that. We know that, and really that is not deer hunting on Sunday.. Sorry.
Gunner. The NRA is behind this legislation and have made it a "Report Card" issue meaning a vote for Bill #147 will favorably impact the NRA legislator's endorsement. A vote against and the NRA will downgrade the legislator's NRA report Card. The PA Farm Bureau understands that things are different this time. This legislation is VERY likely to pass and the PA Farm Bureau doesn't want to appear ineffective as a lobby if they oppose and it still passes.....Which is very likely to happen. It is a good law that makes perfect sense. It is time and I would ask ALL hunters to contact their Senators and tell them to vote yes on Senate Bill #147.
Name one other recreation that is not legal on a Sunday? It works in 47 other states and it can't be done here? I had a table for HUSH at a bowhunters weekend last spring, this was in York County, SO many had given up on PA and simply hunted Maryland. Same is now happening with West Virginia. There are MANY farmers that support SH and want to hunt Sundays.
Senate Bill #147= Freedom of Use bill. Freedom from Government overreach bill. Freedom to either hunt or NOT hunt. The freedom to choose your own way to recreate instead of tolerating having the Government prohibit you from recreating the way you would like.
Just found out that Senator Scavello will vote yes for the bill if it comes up. He's my neighboring senator here in the Poconos.
Lancaster county senator Scott Martin will vote for Sunday Hunting and FREEDOM!
Excellent INfo thanks. Saves me a couple of calls. Putting together a list of yes and no. Just got an e-mail from Mensch- He is a NO vote...PA Farm Bureau is his reason same as Vogel. But I am thinking the way things look is that the momentum of this Bill is going to pass the Senate.
KEEP MAKING THOSE PHONE CALLS!!! Anyone call Aument (Lancaster) ?? He seems to be leaning yes.
I called Aument to voice my opinion the other day. He had an open house scheduled yesterday and I was going to go talk to him, but it was cancelled due to weather. He grew up with Bryan Cutler and was Cutler's campaign manager. If Aument goes, I'm guessing Cutler will go. Heard Cutler was leaning
Explanation of Bob Mensch's NO vote of Senate Bill #147. Does anyone else see the utter irony of the content of his explanation and then the Thomas Jefferson quote that he seems to put at the end of all his correspondence???
Dear Thomas,
The Sunday hunting bill in its present form is not acceptable to the folks who own the majority of the land used for hunting, and that would be the members of the Farm Bureaus—State, as well as the Bureaus in the three counties I represent. Since we are a representative government it is incumbent upon me to represent all my constituents. I am a sportsman, and I appreciate the argument you present, but it’s not just about revenue. If we’re serious in this state about revenue, then we need to work with our revenue producers like the agricultural community.
The Farm Bureau is seeking negotiations, and one of their proposals would be on state game lands only. I’d be OK with that. But so long as the largest employing industry in our state is opposed to the bill, I will not support the bill.
Sincerely,
Bob Mensch Senator, 24th District Majority Caucus Chair
District Office: 56 West 4th Street Floor 2 Red Hill, PA18076 O: 215.541.2388 F: 215.541.2387 Harrisburg Office: Room 16, East Wing Harrisburg, PA O: 717.787.3110 F: 717.787.8004
“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned-this is the sum of good government.” Thomas Jefferson
The above is the text of the letter included in the letter was the Thomas Jefferson Quote.. PLease call this Senator and explain to him that Senate Bill #147 is a vote for LESS Government Regulation of men to to freely regulate their own pursuit of industry and improvement. His own Jefferson Quote is completely contrary to a Sunday Hunting Prohibition.
Just got off the phone with Senator John Blake's office. He's my senator Monroe County. He is undecided at this point. Has previously been a NO vote as he felt that was the opinion of his district. Talked with his legislative manager. They have gotten more comments in favor of it this time and acknowledged that there seems to be a shift in overall opinion this time. He is reconsidering if the majority of his district is in favor of Sunday hunting. He will base his decision on what he feels his constituents want.
I've had run-ins with Mensch when I worked in state government. Was upset at questions he asked me before a senate committee. Clearly the Farm Bureau owns him and that one is a dead end.
To start, I have been a long time hunter in Pa. Outside of living in Washington State and being in the Air Force. When living in Washington, I got to hunt on sunday. When in Texas, service time I hunted on sunday. It was great. Now I live in N.W. Pa. I hunt in Pa. and Ohio. Years ago I hunted NY also. Mainly to hunt sunday. I know that this next question held true for many years. NOT sure if it is still going on. I knew that the PGC was paying farmers for crop damage. Is this still going on? If the farm bureau wants to support the farmers an not allow sunday hunting, then the bureau should be the ones to pay the farmers. Not the PGC. In Ohio, when they opened sunday hunting, they did the same. Game lands and private land (I think it had to be more than 50 acres). They then opened it to any and all. Now someone made the point about staffing. What is the difference between the stores that you go to 24/7. They have staff. I myself have worked in health care for the last 30 years. Worked weekends, holidays, and many days straight. So what is the problem. There are many people out there that work like that. I feel that people who are against this are being selfish.
Jethro, get others to call him. Get clubs to call in his area. Just so he knows that his district is in favor of Sunday hunting.. Do let his maybe right now go.. Many of times they say that they at this point are not sure because it's in their best interest. Even though they know how they are going to vote. By saying maybe it dose help take the heat off them and they don't look so bad to people when they vote against them. After a year or 2 in office they learn how to chat with their constituents.
I sent Judy Schwank (dist. 11) an email two weeks ago asking her to support 147. Haven't received a reply back, so I have no idea where she stands.
Will Mensch accept emails from non-constituents? I want to send him my property tax bills so he can have his Farm Bureau constituents pay them for me, since they get to dictate how I use my property. I think that it is only fair that they share some of my tax burden....
Teeton, to be perfectly honest I don't think there are any hunters I'm tight with in Blake's district. You actually may know some. I see his district starts by me down in northern Monroe and heads up and includes all of Lackawanna. I know your up that way, so you may know some guys that are in Blake's district.
I am a member of a club in Carbon county. Just spoke with our secretary about getting word out to members so they can make some noise to their senator down there.
"stiffen trespassing laws to help landowners who do not want trespassers." I am interested to see how this will work out .. I am all for more time afield, and more opportunities for the young hunters... I am hoping it isn't another day to throw my neighbor off of our property so my wife and kids have a place to hunt. I would gladly pay more for a license to support projects like these if the trespass laws were a real thing....
Jethro, he's not mine I'm farther north. I didn't realize that he was from Lackawanna County. I do known many guys in his district. But he's also on the list of Dan's opening post as a yes vote. So I'm confused on them tell you a maybe vote.
I'll get on having guys contact him.
Lancaster County Senator Auments poll of his constituents showed 62% in favor of SH
Now, let's see how he votes.
Pat, your senator in McKean is the most powerful politician in PA. He's for it, he voted for it in Committee, and added an amendment to it.
This bill, which would give full regulatory control to the PGC is what will go thru. This is not a bill that gives partial success.
After it passes, it will be up to the PGC to regulate and implement it.
Don White voted yes in committee. Unfortunately he is retiring before the full Senate vote.
Please call PA Senator---Thomas H. Killion...He is leaning to vote Yes for Senate Bill #147. He is leaning YES to remove the prohibition for Sunday HUnting. I Had a great conversation with his chief of staff today, BUT HE NEEDS TO HEAR FROM HIS VOTING CONSTITUENTS. Hunters from his district please call his Harrisburg, Delaware and Chester County offices. HE will vote for Sunday Hunting if he gets enough calls from hunters in his district. ONE SENATOR AT A TIME!!!! This is how it works...please make the call. He will vote yes if he gets your calls.
Senator Thomas Killion (717) 787-4712
(610) 447-3163
(610) 436-3320
Does anyone know how Judy Schwank (Berks) is leaning? I still haven't heard anything back from her office.
"Does anyone know how Judy Schwank (Berks) is leaning? I still haven't heard anything back from her office."
Olink
Funny you ask. I talked with her office yesterday. She is undecided and her assistant really didn't know much about Senate Bill #147. He seemed rather uninterested in discussing Senate Bill #147. He didn't even realize that the Bill would be put before the Appropriations Committee. Basically the Bill is NOT on her radar...so please CALL, CALL, CALL her office again and again during normal business hours and wait for someone to answer. She needs her constituents to inform her about this issue. Give them your info and explain why Senate bill #147 is important to you. I asked him if her office was getting many calls about Senate Bill #147 and Sunday Hunting and he said "No Not Really"...so please call and encourage everyone you know to call. She is one of only a few Democrat Senators I have spoken to and my normal talking points need some refinement when speaking to Dems as they are not motivated by the same logic and reason as the Republicans.
Please call both offices. Your calls make a difference. Please also call as many other Senators as you have time for. Thanks.
Senator Judith Schwank Harrisburg, (717) 787-8925
Reading, PA (610) 929-2151
Contacted my state senator (Baker) via email. Have not heard back. Will call soon. Anyone word on Sen. Baker's position?
Holdout4Nice1 . "Anyone word on Sen. Baker's position?"
I have not yet called her office. I have been focusing my calls to the Senators who serve on the Appropriation Committee being that they will be the ones to vote next on Senate Bill #147. Once it passes appropriations and gets sent to the Senate Floor for a full Senate Vote, I will contact all other Senators such as Sen. Baker by Phone. I will be sending e-mail letters and Snail Mail U.S. Post letters today that will include both the UBP and QDMA official support for Sunday Hunting letters. To all Senators in the Appropriations Committee.
BUT PLEASE CERTAINLY CALL HER OFFICES Harrisburg, Dallas and Hawley. Your calls will make a difference. Please report back what her response is to you call or any communication. Very helpful thanks.
Senator Lisa Baker Harrisburg, (717) 787-7428 Dallas, PA (570) 675-3931
Hawley, PA (570) 226-5960
