Crossbow Bill Passes House

[roger]

This is an update to the crossbow issue currently in the TX Legislature. The bill allowing use of crossbows by anyone in the TX archery season has passed the House of Representatives with only one representative voting against it. It now moves to the TX Senate for consideration, where it will likely pass easily as well if there isn't a real groundswell of movement from bowhunters across the state making an impact with their senator.

It takes more than just the leadership of LSBA testifying and contacting legislatures to move them. They must hear repeatedly from a lot of constituents (VOTES!) in their districts before they will consider this something to vote against. That apparently didn't happen in the House. Remains to be seen what happens in the Senate, but the bill will likely move through quickly.

[Hot4huntin]

Here is the current text of the bill

80R13114 ABC-D

By: Homer H.B. No. 1334

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the use of crossbows by certain individuals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 43.201(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c) or (d), no person
may hunt deer, turkey, or javelina (collared peccary) during an
open archery season provided by law or by the proclamations of the
commission and during which season only crossbows, longbows, recurved bows, and compound bows may be used unless the person has acquired an archery hunting stamp issued to the person by the department. The commission by rule may prescribe requirements relating to possessing a stamp required by this subchapter.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.


PLEASE contact your Senator and voice your opposition to this bill. Here is a link to each Senator, which has a place for you to complete an email form. Also, the phone number to their Senate office, as well as their District Offices are included here. Please contact your Senator IMMEDIATELY and let them know where you stand on this issue.

If you do not know who represents you, click on this link and type in your address

http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/Members.htm#FYI


Lt. Governor--David Dewhurst
http://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/Contact/?PHPSESSID=86556c926736dc210e8e98828aa35472

Austin--(512) 463-0001; 512-463-0677 (FAX)

District 1--Kevin Eltife
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist1/dist1.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0101
Tyler--(903) 596-9122; (903) 596-9189 (Fax)
Longview--(903) 753-8137; (903) 753-8568 (fax)
Texarkana--(903) 223-7931; (903) 223-7963 (fax)

District 2--Bob Deuell
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist2/dist2.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0102; (512) 463-7202 fax
Mesquite--(972) 279-1800; fax (972) 279-1065
Greenville--(903) 450-9797; Fax (903) 450-9796

District 3--Robert Nichols
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist3/dist3.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0103
Conroe--(936) 756-5168; Fax: (936) 756-5170
Lufkin--(936) 699-4988
Nacogdoches--(936) 564-4252; (936) 564-4276 fax
Jacksonville--(903) 589-3003; (903) 894-9918 fax

District 4--Tommy Williams
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist4/dist4.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0104; (512) 463-6373 fax
Beaumont--(409) 896-2350; (409) 896-2454 fax
The Woodlands--(281) 364-9426; (281) 364-9473 fax

District 5--Steve Ogden
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist5/dist5.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0105; (512) 463-5713 (fax)
Bryan--(979) 776-0521; (979) 776-8951 (fax
Round Rock--(512) 828-5224; (512) 828-5229 (fax)

District 6--Mario Gallegos, Jr.
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist6/dist6.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0106; fax: (512) 463-0346
Galena Park--(713) 678-8600; fax: (713) 678-7080
Houston--(713) 923-7575; fax: (713) 923-7676
Houston--(713) 742-5000; (713) 742-5016 fax

District 7--Dan Patrick
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist7/dist7.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0107; (512) 463-8810 (Fax)
Houston--(713) 464-0282; (713) 461-0108 (Fax)

District 8--Florence Shapiro
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist8/dist8.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0108; Fax (512) 463-7579
Plano--(972) 403-3404; Fax (972) 403-3405

District 9--Chris Harris
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist9/dist9.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0109; (512) 463-7003 fax
Arlington--(817) 461-9109; 1-866-724-0109; (817) 469-9652 (fax)
Lewisville--(972) 436-1001; Fax: (972) 436-9829

District 10-Kim Brimer
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist10/dist10.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0110; Fax: (512) 475-3745
Ft. Worth--(817) 332-8269; Fax: (817) 332-876

District 11- Mike Jackson
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist11/dist11.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0111; (512) 475-3727 Fax
Pasadena--(713) 948-0111; (713) 948-0004 Fax
League City--(281) 334-0011; (281) 334-3043 Fax

District 12-Jane Nelson
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist12/dist12.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0112; fax: (512) 463-0923
Grapevine--(817) 424-3446

District 13-Rodney Ellis
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist13/dist13.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0113; (512) 463-0006 (fax)
Houston--(713) 236-0306; (713) 236-0604 (fax)
Houston--(281) 564-2228; (281) 564-0999 (fax)
Missouri City--(281) 261-2360; (281) 261-4726 (fax)

District 14-Kirk Watson
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist14/dist14.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0114; (512) 463-5949 (Fax)

District 15-John Whitmire
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist15/dist15.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0115
Houston--(713) 864-8701; (713) 864-5287 (fax)

District 16-John Carona
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist16/dist16.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0116; Fax: (512) 463-3135
Dallas--(214) 378-5751; FAX: (214) 378-5739

District 17-Kyle Janek
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist17/dist17.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0117; (800) 445-2635; (512) 463-0639 Fax
Lake Jackson--(979) 297-5261; (979) 297-7996 Fax
Houston--(713) 272-8929; (713) 272-8956 Fax

District 18-Glenn Hegar
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist18/dist18.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0118; (512) 475-3736 (Fax)
Katy--(281) 391-8883; (281) 391-8818 Fax

District 19-Carlos Uresti
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist19/dist19.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0119; (512) 463-1017 Fax
San Antonio--(210) 932-2568; (210) 932-2572 Fax

District 20-Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist20/dist20.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0120; (512) 463-0229 fax
McAllen--(956) 972-1841; (956) 664-0602
Corpus Christi--(361) 225-1200; (361) 225-3576; (361) 225-0119 Fax

District 21-Judith Zaffirini
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist21/dist21.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0121
Laredo--(956) 722-2293; (956) 722-8586 (fax)
San Antonio--(210) 657-0095

District 22-Kip Averitt
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist22/dist22.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0122 (phone); (512) 475-3729 (fax)
Waco--(254) 772-6225 (phone); (254) 776-2843 (fax)
Granbury--(817) 573-9622 (phone); (817) 579-7172 (fax)

District 23-Royce West
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist23/dist23.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0123; (512) 463-0299 fax
Dallas--(214) 467-0123 (tel); (214) 467-0050 (fax)

District 24-Troy Fraser
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist24/dist24.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0124
Belton--(254) 939-3562; fax: (254) 939-7611
Marble Falls--(830) 693-9900; fax: (830) 693-9603
Abilene--(325) 676-7404; fax: (325) 676-8060

District 25-Jeff Wentworth
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist25/dist25.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0125; (512) 463-7794 FAX
San Antonio--(210) 826-7800; (210) 826-0571 FAX

District 26-Leticia Van de Putte
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist26/dist26.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0126; (512) 463-2114 Fax; 1 (888) 279-0648 Toll Free
San Antonio--(210) 733-6604; (210) 733-6605 Fax

District 27-Eddie Lucio, Jr.
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist27/dist27.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0127; (512) 463-0061 Fax
Brownsville--(956) 548-0227; (956) 548-0440 Fax
Weslaco--(956) 968-9927; (956) 447-0583 Fax

District 28-Robert Duncan
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist28/dist28.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0128; Toll Free (800) 322-9538; Fax: (512) 463-2424
Lubbock--(806) 762-1122; (806) 749-2828 FAX; Toll Free (800) 546-9928
San Angelo--(325) 481-0028; Fax: (325) 655-2541; Toll Free (800) 558-9928
Childress--(940) 937-0909; Fax: (940) 937-6994; Toll Free (888) 887-7027

District 29-Eliot Shapleigh
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist29/dist29.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0129
El Paso--(915) 544-1990 (tel); (915) 544-1998 (fax)
El Paso--(915) 857-4800 (tel); (915) 857-4854 (fax)

District 30-Craig Estes
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist30/dist30.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0130; (512) 463-8874 Fax
Wichita Falls--(940) 689-0191; (940) 689-0194 Fax
Sherman--(903)868-2347; fax: (903)868-9666
Denton--(940)898-0331; fax: (940)898-0926

District 31-Kel Seliger
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist31/dist31.htm

Austin--(512) 463-0131; (512) 475-3733 fax
Amarillo--(806) 374-8994; (806) 374-4607 fax
Midland--(432) 563-0031; (432) 563-0653 fax
Big Spring--(432) 268-9909; (432) 268-9899 fax

[Linedawg]

Thanks for the heads up Roger. I thought after the last showing the LSBA and others had made this might get nipped. Apparently not. I'll start contacting folks again.

Thanks for the info Dena. I always forget that web page that list that info. I'll bookmark it this time.

[BOBSTER]

There may be a little confusion when reading the bill as it is printed. The way it reads here is no different than what we have right now. The line "[used by hunters with upper limb disabilities and]" will be taken out of the bill and then allow everyone to use a crossbow. Hope this helps if there was any confusion. Thanks for posting Roger and Dena. Bob

[Hot4huntin]

Thanks for pointing that out, Babe! I guess it did not copy the strikeout when I copied and pasted it. I went ahead and deleted it from my post.

[Hot4huntin]

Here is Pope and Young Club's policy on crossbows.

Crossbow Policy Statement


The Pope and Young Club was founded to promote bowhunting and to record for posterity the outstanding examples of North American big game animals taken solely with the hunting bow.

For the purpose of the Pope and Young Club, a bow shall be defined as a longbow, recurve bow or compound bow that is hand-held and hand-drawn, and that has no mechanical device to enable the hunter to lock the bow at full or partial draw. Other than the energy stored by the drawn bow, no device to propel the arrow will be permitted.

Consequently, the Pope and Young Club does not consider the crossbow to be a hunting bow and will not accept any trophies collected by crossbow hunters. Further, the Pope and Young Club considers the use of crossbows during bowhunting seasons to be a serious threat to the future of bowhunting.

The Pope and Young Club therefore recommends the crossbow should not be considered for use in any bowhunting only season. Also, the Club strongly recommends that crossbow hunting be abolished from all existing bowhunting only seasons and the use of crossbows for hunting be restricted to firearms seasons.

[Tomme]

Tell me again, what is the Senate Bill #?

thanks,

Tomme Never mind, mine is in.

[tinman]

E-mail sent and phone numbers printed out to call in the AM.