The Texas Deer Association was founded in 1999, and today, our efforts to promote the future of Texas’ whitetail heritage are unparalleled.  TDA continues to lead the way as the largest organization in the state dedicated to protecting the rights of both the landowner and the hunter.  We are proud to be the unified voice for deer enthusiasts seeking to share ideas and methods to improve and protect our Texas whitetail heritage.  Below are a few of the bills that the Texas Deer Association has supported thus far in the 84^th Texas Legislative Session:

HB 2119 (Lozano, Murr, Guillen) relating to charitable organizations, including charitable organizations that may conduct prescribed burning.

Background:

This bill would limit liability for prescribed burning volunteers and prescribed burn association members and to incentivize insurance companies to provide coverage. It supports landowners in the safe use of prescribed burning as a land management practice

This bill has passed the House and awaits consideration in the Senate. 

HB 3057 (Murr) relating to the creation of a pilot program for the purpose of controlling certain predatory animals.

Background:

This bill would amend Texas Parks & Wildlife Code be establishing a grant program jointed administered by Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept (TPWD) and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (Extension Service).  The grants would be made to political subdivisions and qualified nonprofits for the control of rodents and predatory animals.  TPWD, in consultation with the Extension Service, would be required to adopt rules to implement the program, including qualifications for grant recipients, grant amounts and conditions for the use of the grant money. 

This bill has been sent to the House Local & Consent Calendar to await consideration on the floor of the House.

HB 4064 (White, J.) relating to restrictions applicable to young hunters of white-tailed deer during a special open season.

Background:

This bill would amend the Texas Parks & Wildlife Code relating to two-day weekend youth seasons for hunting of white-tailed deer.  The bill would suspend any special restrictions on the inside spread measurements of antlers if such a youth season is offered and would establish a bag limit of one white-tailed deer per hunter.  The bill also states that any hunting restrictions imposed by a landowner would prevail. 

This bill remains pending in the House Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee. 

HJR 61 (Ashby, Darby, Guillen, D. Bonnen, Keffer) & SJR 22 (Creighton) proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife.

Relevant language of the bill includes:

The people have the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife, including by the use traditional methods, subject to laws or regulations to conserve and mange wildlife and preserve the future of hunting and fishing. Hunting and fishing are preferred methods of managing and controlling wildlife.

If the measure passes, the joint resolution would be presented to Texas voters in November of this year as a potential state constitutional amendment.

HJR 61 has passed out of the House Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee and awaits consideration in the Calendars Committee.  SJR 22 has passed the Senate and awaits consideration in the House. 

For more information on these or our other legislative efforts, please visit our website: www.tdaconsignments.com or call 512.499.0466.