Last Year's Rifle Bill Amended...

[ilikeguns]

There aren't enough disabled vets to make a difference. Plus out of all the disabled vets in Indiana how many do you see actually out there hunting.

Enough to cost $318,000 apparently. Plus another $317000 in federal funds.

 

[CountryBoy19]

There aren't enough disabled vets to make a difference. Plus out of all the disabled vets in Indiana how many do you see actually out there hunting.

Lets define "disabled vet" first. To you what qualifies as a disabled vet? My understanding is any vet that has been determined by the VA or an independent doctor as qualifying for disability.

There are a LOT of disabled vets in Indiana... I'm not trying to insult anybody, I'm a HUGE supporter of vets. Yet at the same time, I'm a huge supporter of wildlife (I like to eat them). The funds from licensing fees etc all go towards wildlife habitat improvement, anybody that has property (even private) and is willing to enroll in the programs and make a commitment for X number of years that their property will remain wildlife habitat is able to apply for those funds. According to my district biologist it's pretty easy to get access to the funds that reimburse your direct expenses for creating wildlife habitat.

So who deserves to get the "cut" here? Do the disabled vets get a cut in fees, or do the people that are creating wildlife habitat get a cut in support? It's a subjective issue, and IMHO, in this case I think they've made the right call for 2 main reasons. #1 The fees from hunting go to support wildlife (without the wildlife there would be no hunting), cutting fees for a target group that would result in an even larger loss of support to wildlife habitat would be detrimental to the system and #2 The loss of the additional federal funds causes the balance to swing in the opposite direction. So for every dollar in licensing fees we "give back" to disabled vets, the wildlife habitat programs lose $2.

 

[Willie]

HOUSE MOTIONMr. Speaker: I move that House Bill 1415 be amended to read asfollows:Page 6, between lines 41 and 42, begin a new paragraph and insert:"SECTION 11. IC 14-22-12-1.5, AS AMENDED BY P.L.151-2012,SECTION 20, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVEJULY 1, 2017]: Sec. 1.5. (a) As used in this section, "qualifiedindividual" means an individual who1) is a resident of Indiana;(2) has served in the armed forces of the United States; and(3) has a service connected disability, as evidenced byA) records of the United States Department of VeteransAffairs; or(B) disability retirement benefits awarded to the individualunder laws administered by the United States Department ofDefense.(b) A qualified individual is entitled to reduced fee hunting andfishing licenses under this section.(c) Each year a qualified individual may obtain any of thefollowing licenses by paying a reduced license fee of two dollarsand seventy-five cents ($2.75) instead of the fee prescribed bysection 1 of this chapter 1) Both A) a resident yearly lic ense to fish; and
(B) a resident yearly license to hunt. or(2) A resident yearly license to hunt and fish.(3) Any resident yearly license listed in section 1(a) of thischapter.
by paying a reduced license fee of two dollars and seventy-five cents


($2.75) instead of the fee prescribed by section 1 of this chapter.(d) Each decade a qualified individual may obtain 1) both A) a resident license to fish that is valid for ten (10) years;and(B) a resident license to hunt that is valid for ten (10) years; or(2) a resident license to hunt and fish that is valid for ten (10)years;by paying a reduced license fee of twenty-seven dollars and fifty cents($27.50).(e) An applicant for a reduced fee license under this section must do the following:EH 1415—LS 7301/DI 77
30(1) Request the license from ) the department;(B) an agent appointed by the director under IC 14-22-11-3; or(C) the clerk of the circuit court who is an authorized representative of the department under IC 14-22-11-3 in the county in which the individual resides.(2) Present evidence that the applicant is a qualified individual.".Renumber all SECTIONS consecutively.(Reference is to HB 1415 as printed February 7, 2017.

 

[Willie]

So, how much does a license have to cost for the Fed money to kick in?

 

[Timjoebillybob]

So, how much does a license have to cost for the Fed money to kick in?

I don't think it matters how much it costs for it to kick in. I believe the cost does matter for how much they kick in.

 

[cedarthicket]

The Senate Appropriations Committee has scheduled a hearing for HB 1415 (along with 6 other bills). The hearing starts Thursday March 23 at 9:00 AM in Room 431. HB 1415 is listed number 6 by numerical order. I do not know for sure if that is the order for the bills to be heard.

 

[logguy]

This might eliminate some of the confusion about what is and isn't legal

 

[oldpink]

This might eliminate some of the confusion about what is and isn't legal

Yep
Just legalize in long arms all calibers currently legal in handguns...one simple change.
This will make all those guys with .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, .45-70, etc. very happy.

 

[cedarthicket]

Today HB 1415 passed (without amendment) the Senate Appropriations Committee. The vote was 10 yes and 1 no. Next step is consideration by the full Senate.

House Bill 1415 - Various natural resources matters - Indiana General Assembly, 2017 Session

 

[whiteoak]

Good News.. on this front finally I don't know if adding the reduced fees for Disabled Vets helped pass this through or not, but I support that amendment also. I see no reason that some one who was injured defending this country should not get a break on license fees. I did the buy once cry once route and purchased a lifetime hunting and fishing license in 2006 or there abouts, and have not regretted that decision one bit.
Now to work up loads for the .270 and 45-70, and put the 30-30 and 30-06 back in the safe.

 

[BigMatt]

I am soooooooo excited! I hope this thing passes.

 

[phatgemi]

Wonder who the lone "NO" was???

 

[oldpink]

Wonder who the lone "NO" was???

 

[clfergus]

So if I am reading the bill correctly, anything above a .243 that meets the 1.16 case length will be good to use on Private Land? I can finally use my .35 REM?

SECTION 7. IC 14-22-2-8, AS ADDED BY P.L.110-2016,25 SECTION 1,IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2017]:
Sec. 8. (a) This section applies to a hunting season beginning after June 30, 2016, and ending before January 1, 2020.
(b) A hunter may use a rifle during the firearms season to hunt deer subject to the following:
(1) The use of a rifle is permitted only on privately owned land.
(2) The rifle must have a barrel length of at least sixteen (16) inches.
(3) The rifle must be chambered for a cartridge that is two hundred forty-three thousandths (.243) of an inch in diameter or larger.
[STRIKE](1) of the following cartridges: (A) .243. (B) .30-30. (C) .300. (D) .30-06.40 (E) .308.[/STRIKE]
(4) The rifle must fire a cartridge that has a minimum case42 length of one and sixteen-hundredths (1.16) inches

 

[oldpink]

So if I am reading the bill correctly, anything above a .243 that meets the 1.16 case length will be good to use on Private Land? I can finally use my .35 REM?

SECTION 7. IC 14-22-2-8, AS ADDED BY P.L.110-2016,25 SECTION 1,IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2017]:
Sec. 8. (a) This section applies to a hunting season beginning after June 30, 2016, and ending before January 1, 2020.
(b) A hunter may use a rifle during the firearms season to hunt deer subject to the following:
(1) The use of a rifle is permitted only on privately owned land.
(2) The rifle must have a barrel length of at least sixteen (16) inches.
(3) The rifle must be chambered for a cartridge that is two hundred forty-three thousandths (.243) of an inch in diameter or larger.
[STRIKE](1) of the following cartridges: (A) .243. (B) .30-30. (C) .300. (D) .30-06.40 (E) .308.[/STRIKE]
(4) The rifle must fire a cartridge that has a minimum case42 length of one and sixteen-hundredths (1.16) inches

Yep
It would also legalize some oddballs that meet the requirements, such as .25-35 Winchester, .38-55 Winchester, .375 Winchester, and 264 Winchester Magnum.
They will also be able to totally write out the handgun caliber rifle requirements a such, just a single uniform standard for longarms.

 

[ChrisK1977]

There was some movement but not a vote yet. Getting closer

 

[cedarthicket]

I believe HB 1415 will pass the full Senate. However, the bill includes an amendment that adds a maximum acceptable case length of 3 inches for cartridges fired in rifles used for Indiana deer hunting. The minimum case length of 1.16 inches remains unchanged, as does the minimum bullet diameter of 0.243 inches. There is no maximum bullet diameter specified.

Thus, with the amendment it appears that the bill will need to go to a conference committee of House and Senate members to reconcile differences between the bills passed by the respective legislative houses.

My guess is that the final product will include the maximum case length of 3 inches. This amendment would effectively eliminate rifles chambered for such cartridges as 50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun). Also, a few relatively new and old sporting cartridges originally designed for really big game (such as elephant, rhino, and buffalo) would be eliminated for hunting Indiana deer. However, the number of Indiana hunters “inconvenienced” by such a rule is extremely small.

See link: House Bill 1415 - Various natural resources matters - Indiana General Assembly, 2017 Session

Check language in bottom few lines on page 4 and top few lines of page 5.

 

[ChrisK1977]

Blah, just a minimum would be sufficientl. Many rounds that are currently legal would be eliminated. Bullet diameter minimum and case length minimum.

 

[ChrisK1977]

I see case length, not COL. so I would be some what wrong with my last post. Still think minimum is all that is really needed though.

 

[dugsagun]

I believe the few rifle rounds, with their CASE length in excess of 3" , are meant to shoot stuff the size dinosaurs , not deer.