HUNTER PINK OR OTHER COLORS                                                                  H.B. 5484:

                                                                               SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL

                                                                                                         IN COMMITTEE

House Bill 5484 (as passed by the House)

Sponsor:  Representative Lisa Lyons

House Committee:  Natural Resources

Senate Committee:  Outdoor Recreation and Tourism

Date Completed:  10-18-16

CONTENT

The bill would amend Part 401 (Wildlife Conservation) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to do the following:

-- Specify that an individual could not take game during the established daylight shooting hours from August 15 through April 30 unless he or she wore hunter orange or a color authorized by the Natural Resources Commission.

-- Require the Commission to determine what additional colors, including hunter pink, would be effective and safe for individuals to wear while hunting and, by October 1, 2017, issue an order authorizing those colors to be worn.

Part 401 specifies that an individual may not take game during the established daylight shooting hours from August 15 through April 30 unless he or she wears a cap, hat, vest, jacket, or rain gear of hunter orange. Hunter orange includes camouflage that is at least 50% hunter orange. The hunter orange garments must be the hunter's outermost garment and visible from all sides. These requirements do not apply to an individual who is: a) taking a deer with a bow or crossbow during archery deer season, b) taking a bear with a bow or crossbow, c) taking a turkey or migratory birds other than woodcock, d) engaged in the sport of falconry, or e) stationary and hunting bobcat, coyote, or fox.

Under the bill, the hunter garments would have to be hunter orange or a color authorized by the Commission. The Commission would have to determine what additional colors, including hunter pink, would be effective and safe for individuals to wear while hunting. By October 1, 2017, the Commission would have to issue an order under Section 40113a authorizing the additional colors that could be worn based on its determination.

"Hunter pink" would mean the highly visible color commonly referred to as hunter pink, including bright pink, blaze pink, and fluorescent pink.

(Section 40113a grants the Natural Resources Commission the exclusive authority to regulate the taking of game, and requires the Commission, to the extent possible, to use sound scientific principles in making its decisions.)

MCL 324.40116                                                                Legislative Analyst:  Jeff Mann

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

                                                                                        Fiscal Analyst:  Josh Sefton

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.