House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for SB301 - Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Short Title
Requiring hunting guides and outfitters to register with the department of wildlife, parks and tourism.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 8, 2018
Chairperson Kerschen opened the hearing on SB301.
Keaton Kelso testified in support of the bill. He believes that Kansas needs to recognize Outfitters as a business and properly regulate them. Outfitters in Kansas are continually battling negative feedback that comes from unprofessional operations that would not even be in business if Kansas was not so lenient on the Outfitting licensing process. If regulated correctly, the Outfitter industry has the potential to bring in a great deal of revenue to the state. (Attachment 2)
Senator Dan Kerschen testified in support of the bill. He believes that being on a list as a guide or outfitter will provide the enforcement person the data to protect public lands from illegal guided hunts. This will protect public lands from over hunting and provide private individuals more access to hunting.(Attachment 3)
Senator Carolyn McGinn testified in support of the bill. She believes that this bill will provide landowners some degree of protection from guides and outfitters who seek to profit from farmer's land without their consent. It requires outfitters and guides to be registered with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism and in addition provides this information on a searchable website.(Attachment 4)
Written testimony in support of the bill was submitted by John Donley with Kansas Farm Bureau.(Attachment 5)
Representative Ken Corbett spoke in opposition to the bill. He believes that this bill accomplishes nothing and provides less hunting opportunities for the people who worked to grow hunting opportunities with Kansas farmers and ranchers. He feels that tightening trespass laws would help give farmers and ranchers more control of their property.(Attachment 6)
Written testimony in opposition to the bill was provided by Edie land Lee Couture of Palco, KS.(Attachment 7)
Robin Jennison presented neutral testimony on the bill. He testified that there are a few issues with the bill that needed to come to the attention of the committee. First, he said it is unclear how the secretary would be able to fine the guides and outfitters. Second, would operators of controlled shooting areas and their guides be subject to registration?(Attachment 8)
Chairperson Kerschen closed the hearing on SB301.
With no further business before the committee, Chairperson Kerschen adjourned the meeting.
