Legislature Gives Final Approval to Measure Protecting Hunting on Private Lands
One of the priorities of NRA-ILA this session has been passage of the "No Net Loss of Public Hunting Lands" legislation in the states. However, that type of proposal would have limited impact in a state like Texas, where roughly 95% of land is privately owned. So Representative Anna Mowery (R-Fort Worth) and Senator Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) teamed with NRA-ILA, Texas State Rifle Association, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Wildlife Association, and the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association to draft legislation addressing the sportsmen's access issue in a manner that would truly have a positive impact in the Lone Star State.
The result of these efforts was Senate Bill 734, which the Legislature gave final approval to this week and sent to Governor Rick Perry (R). When a municipality annexes nearby land, SB 734 would allow hunting with certain firearms to continue on minimum-sized property tracts (10 acres or more for shotgun; 50 acres or more for rifle and pistol) even if the municipality has an ordinance banning the discharge of firearms. The bill also added "wildlife management" to the list of activities, which would be grandfathered under Texas' "Right To Farm" Act when annexation occurs.
As Texas cities grow, opportunities for hunting or sport shooting diminish. Most municipalities have ordinances banning the discharge of firearms, with no exception for lawful hunting or safe recreational shooting. Existing state laws offer little protection to property owners who are annexed by a city, but who wish to continue hunting on their own land or leasing it out to sportsmen before development occurs around them. SB 734 changes all that, and can serve as a model for other states that wish to address urban sprawl and its negative impact on hunting and sport shooting.
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