Bill Text: NJ S1598 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes Sunday bow hunting on federal military installations and William J. Hughes Technical Center.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S1598 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S1598-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator STEVEN V. OROHO
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Senator ANTHONY R. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Addiego
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes Sunday bow hunting on federal military installations and William J. Hughes Technical Center.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning hunting on federal military lands and amending R.S.23:4-24.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.23:4-24 is amended to read as follows:
23:4-24. a. No person shall hunt with a hound or with firearms or weapons of any kind, or carry a gun in the woods or fields or on the waters on Sunday, under a penalty of $50 for each offense; except that this section shall not apply to:
(1) any person hunting raccoon between midnight on Saturday and sunrise on Sunday during the season prescribed in R.S.23:4-1;
(2) a person possessing a valid and proper rifle permit licensed to trap fur-bearing animals pursuant to the provisions of R.S.23:3-1 using a .22 caliber rifle and .22 caliber short rimfire cartridges to humanely dispatch legally trapped animals; or
(3) a person using a bow and arrow to hunt deer during any bow and arrow hunting season for deer prescribed by the State Fish and Game Code, provided the person possesses a valid bow and arrow license, or a valid "All Around Sportsman License" if applicable, issued by the division, abides by all applicable provisions of the code, and is hunting on a State wildlife management area [or on] , private property, federal military land, subject to proper approval granted by the appropriate federal military installation, or the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Galloway Township, Atlantic County, subject to proper approval granted by the administrative authority of the William J. Hughes Technical Center.
b. This section shall not prevent farm land owners, lessees actually occupying or farming the land, members of their immediate families, or their farm employees from hunting and destroying at any time and in any manner crows, woodchuck, fox and vermin on that land.
(cf: P.L.2009, c.48, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would authorize Sunday bow hunting on federal military installations, subject to approval by the appropriate federal military installation, and on the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Galloway Township, Atlantic County, subject to proper approval by the administrative authority of the technical center.
Under current State law, hunting is prohibited on Sundays, with certain limited exceptions. Although federal agencies may permit hunting on their lands, these agencies are subject to both State and federal laws regarding hunting. Thus, an individual may not hunt on federal military installations in the State or on the William J. Hughes Technical Center on Sundays.
This bill would amend current law to authorize bow and arrow hunting of deer on Sundays on federal military lands and on the William J. Hughes Technical Center, a Federal Aviation Administration facility, during any bow and arrow hunting season for deer prescribed by the State Fish and Game Code, provided the person hunting possesses a valid bow and arrow license, or a valid "All Around Sportsman License," issued by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, and abides by all applicable provisions of the State Fish and Game Code.
