California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Sacramento, CA --(AmmoLand.com)-Two other wildlife conservation bills supported by COHA were also recently signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger.

AB 94 (Evans) extends the “Natural Heritage Preservation Tax Credit Act” for five years and deletes the monetary limit on the award of tax credits pursuant to the Act. The bill maintains important financial incentives offered through the Act for private property owners to voluntarily contribute lands to the State of California, local governments or nonprofits at a reduced cost to the public. Such lands not only have significant wildlife conservation values, but may also provide much-needed recreational opportunities for the public, including hunting and fishing.

SB 448 (Pavley) creates the “California Safe Harbor Agreement Program Act” to encourage private landowners to voluntarily manage their property for the benefit of threatened and endangered species without being subject to additional regulatory restrictions. This is an appropriate legal approach in COHA’s view, since additional take regulations would hinder conservation efforts in many cases by compelling landowners to not participate in habitat protection programs. By ensuring that the program creates a “net conservation benefit” without jeopardizing the continued existence of a particular species, COHA believes the bill will improve land management practices in a landowner-friendly manner.

About:
The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance is a 501(c) 4 non-profit political advocacy organization dedicated solely to the promotion of wildlife and the protection of our hunting heritage. COHA professional staff is active at the California State Legislature, Congress, State Fish and Game Commission, State and Federal resource agencies and all other political arenas where decisions are made which may impact wildlife management, habitat conservation, wildlife program funding, hunting access and opportunity, and your ability to purchase and possess sporting arms and munitions. COHA was created in early 2006 by the California Waterfowl Association. For more information on COHA and its efforts, visit their website at www.outdoorheritage.org

California Outdoor Heritage Alliance

Sacramento, CA --(AmmoLand.com)-During the 2009 State Legislative Session, COHA was successful in inserting several pro-hunting amendments into AB 1442 (Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee).

The bill was ultimately signed into law on October 11th. The COHA-drafted language will do the following:

1. Authorize the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) to secure voluntary easements on private land to create public access for recreational activities, such as hunting and fishing opportunities.
2. Require WCB, in acquiring land for hunting and fishing purposes, to consider those areas of the state in which public access and opportunity for those activities is most needed.
3. Make technical changes to provisions of law relating to shooting near roads and other ways open to the public to ensure that hunting can continue to safely and legally occur in those areas.
4. Make it a crime to remove the collar of a hunting dog without the written permission of the owner.
5. Reduce penalties for hunters who have been cited for not having their hunting license in the field but can produce the license in court.

A separate provision in AB 1442 that was supported by COHA creates a voluntary stamp that may be purchased at Fish and Game license offices to support California Game Wardens.

COHA appreciates the willingness of Assembly Member Jared Huffman and the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee to include these important provisions in AB 1442.

About:
The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance is a 501(c) 4 non-profit political advocacy organization dedicated solely to the promotion of wildlife and the protection of our hunting heritage. COHA professional staff is active at the California State Legislature, Congress, State Fish and Game Commission, State and Federal resource agencies and all other political arenas where decisions are made which may impact wildlife management, habitat conservation, wildlife program funding, hunting access and opportunity, and your ability to purchase and possess sporting arms and munitions. COHA was created in early 2006 by the California Waterfowl Association. For more information on COHA and its efforts, visit their website at www.outdoorheritage.org