No big outdoor legislation expected

After license increase last year, House committee chairman expects quiet session

The chairman of the House Committee on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks said in December that his plan for the 2017 legislative session that began Tuesday included no specific items.

But, Scott Bounds (R-Philadelphia) said that didn’t mean his committee might pass quietly through the session.

“Obviously, I have no idea what other individual members may file in the terms of legislation,” he said. “When they do, I will look at each piece as the session and deadlines approach.”

Historically, most outdoor-related bills of major impact on Mississippi sportsmen originate in the House and move to the Senate.

Bounds, appointed chairman in 2012, said his committee has been aggressive — and successful — in recent sessions, including last year when the Legislature passed the first license fee increase in 23 years. Other bills championed by his committee to make it into law included allowing weapon of choice during most primitive weapon seasons, allowing state wildlife officials to set hunting bag limits based on harvest and other biological information, and allowing crossbows during any open deer season.

“(There has been) A lot more things we have accomplished, so we’ll see what shakes out this year,” Bounds said. “Hunting, fishing and other outdoor related activities have an annual $2.2 billion impact on Mississippi’s economy, so it’s big business.”

Bounds said he has concerns that could be addressed in the future, if not this session then soon. One is the proliferation and spread of Asian carp, and two others involve infrastructure issues at State Parks and high hazard dams.

“My three objectives remain the same now as they were when Speaker Gunn appointed me to this position in 2012,” he said. “No. 1 is to protect and preserve the resource. Without the resource, we have nothing. No. 2 is to enhance opportunities for outdoor activities anywhere we can. No. 3 is to leave it better than I found it.”

A handful of bills were assigned to Bounds’ committee in the first two days of the session.

One would require the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to publish any proposed regulation changes in local newspapers in areas affected.