Migratory Bird Framework and Hunting Opportunities for Veterans Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 742 To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each year as the Federal framework closing date for the duck hunting season and to establish special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and active military personnel, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 24, 2019 Mr. BISHOP of Utah introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish Janu- ary 31 of each year as the Federal framework closing date for the duck hunting season and to establish special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and active mili- tary personnel, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Migratory Bird Frame- 4 work and Hunting Opportunities for Veterans Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:02 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H742.IH H742 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 742 IH SEC. 2. FEDERAL CLOSING DATE FOR HUNTING OF DUCKS, 1 MERGANSERS, AND COOTS. 2 Section 3 of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 3 U.S.C. 704) is amended by adding at the end the fol- 4 lowing: 5 ‘‘(c) FEDERAL FRAMEWORK CLOSING DATE FOR 6 HUNTING OF DUCKS, MERGANSERS, AND COOTS.— 7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In promulgating regula- 8 tions under subsection (a) relating to the Federal 9 framework for outside dates within which the States 10 may select seasons for migratory bird hunting, ex- 11 cept as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary 12 shall, with respect to the hunting season for ducks, 13 mergansers, and coots— 14 ‘‘(A) adopt the recommendation of each re- 15 spective flyway council (as defined in section 16 20.152 of title 50, Code of Federal Regula- 17 tions) for the Federal framework if considered 18 by the Secretary to be consistent with science- 19 based and sustainable adaptive harvest manage- 20 ment, but the framework closing date shall be 21 January 31 of each year; and 22 ‘‘(B) allow the States to establish the clos- 23 ing date for the hunting season in accordance 24 with the Federal framework. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:02 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H742.IH H742 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 742 IH ‘‘(2) SPECIAL DUCK HUNTING DAYS FOR 1 YOUTHS, VETERANS, AND ACTIVE MILITARY PER- 2 SONNEL.— 3 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the 4 closing date under paragraph (1) and subject to 5 subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Secretary shall 6 allow States to select 2 days for youths and 2 7 days for veterans (as defined in section 101 of 8 title 38, United States Code), and members of 9 the Armed Forces on active duty, including 10 members of the National Guard and Reserves 11 on active duty (other than for training), to hunt 12 ducks, mergansers, and coots. Such days shall 13 be treated as an addition to the regular hunting 14 season lengths selected by the States. 15 ‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS.—In selecting days 16 under subparagraph (A), a State shall ensure 17 that— 18 ‘‘(i) the days selected— 19 ‘‘(I) do not fall within the regular 20 hunting season for ducks, mergansers, 21 and coots; 22 ‘‘(II) with regard to youth days, 23 are on a weekend, holiday or other 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:02 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H742.IH H742 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HR 742 IH day in which schools are not in ses- 1 sion; and 2 ‘‘(III) are not more than 14 days 3 before or after the hunting season for 4 duck, mergansers, and coots; and 5 ‘‘(ii) the total number of days in a 6 hunting season for ducks, mergansers and 7 coots, including any days selected under 8 subparagraph (A), is not more than 107 9 days. 10 ‘‘(C) LIMITATION.—A State may combine 11 the 2 days allowed for youths with the 2 days 12 allowed for veterans and members of the Armed 13 Forces on active duty under subparagraph (A), 14 but in no circumstance may a State have more 15 than a total of 4 additional days added to its 16 regular hunting season for any purpose. 17 ‘‘(3) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall pro- 18 mulgate regulations in accordance with this sub- 19 section for the Federal framework for migratory bird 20 hunting for the 2020–2021 hunting season and each 21 hunting season thereafter.’’. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:02 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H742.IH H742 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS