Reptile & Amphibian Forums

New support, our friend, Bill Sontag with Southwest Texas LIVE magazine (swtexaslive.com) has posted an on line article about HB2414. He will follow up on this. Wish there was some way other news papers could pick up this article. He has found out some interesting things in his research.

Very interesting article. Hopefully this will put more pressure on the Reps to shut this thing down.

We can all help by posting comments to the article that can be read by everyone that sees the article.

Just keep in mind that most of the readers are not herpers or politicians. Make your best case, but do it in a way that will gain the support of the average Joe.

Maybe other journalist will pick-up the story.

In my experience involving the media can really backfire in these situations with new unexpected issues often being raised. I deal with the media daily in my law practise and while most members are great I can just envision left field attacks on our avocation if the story gets high profile. I understand that an amendment excluding herps will be offered Monday or whenever the house gets to the bill. A rep I know read me the amendment. He is working to assure as much support as possible. If the amendment passes and sticks I think road collecting will be clearly ok for the first time in Texas. Let's hope and keeping writing and calling to politely express concerns and push for the amendment. Talking about "your rights" doesn't work so I would avoid that approach. I have seen some excellent letters addressing herping as an avocation and hobby enjoyed by many Texans. Focus on recreation, safety and enviromental responsibility when discussing the matter in your letters and calls. Remeber that once the house acts it will go to the Senate and could be left as passed, amended or killed. Just my thoughts.
Richard

where I can still roadhunt reptiles, lol!!!
Good point/s. Thank you for the support. REALLY.

It just amazes me that ONE person can write a bill and then it can become law - even if 2/3 vote is not reached....

Zee
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"I am an expert on everything, but I know so little and have so much to learn!" -Carsten "Zee" Zoldy-

2/3 for immediate effect, it still needs a majority to pass at all.

And I have put some time into seeing that it does not pass.

Lance

Any consideration or deference given to hunting regs in other states like CA, AZ, NM, perhaps all other states except Texas, where reptiles and amphibians DO HAVE DIFFERENT REGULATIONS, where take of non-protected species is allowed from public roads and right of ways notwithstanding ample public land available for taking reptiles and amphibians? Just curious if Isett and Hildebran feel they are on an island? I'm referring to the statement made by the idiot Creel in the article, which I've reproduced below:

"Creel told LIVE! that H.B. 2414 was fostered, then spurred through committee, by Isett’s participation in a special interest thrust within the House. “He [Isett] is chairman of the Sportsmen’s Caucus in the legislature, so through discussions with folks there who work in the Capitol, who work on sportsmen’s related issues, we chose to address this situation,” said Creel. “This [bill] will mean that the same provisions that affect other hunters, will now apply to those that hunt reptiles. We are simply putting all of that hunting on the same regulatory level. We’re making hunting law consistent.”

Do you have access to Joe's "special" forum?

Robert

I checked it out and replied....
Makes me want to become a politician. After reading and following this story for weeks now, I realize just how easy this job can be. And as a bonus you can make and write laws without doing much research - MY KIND OF JOB!!! (an easy one)

Zee
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"I am an expert on everything, but I know so little and have so much to learn!" -Carsten "Zee" Zoldy-

No worries, Big Blue King! They ain't gonna win, and there is always gonna be someone tryin' to spoil the parade. C'mon down and drop the big bucks with the family, the snakes are where they are!
Todd Hughes

Everybody leave a short well put comment on this article, and try to find some way to get your local news station to look at it as well.

If they see this thing with comments from a hundred different people on it they will at least give it some real thought.

Everybody gets an A for participation after all

Good find on the article, everybody please leave a comment.

Lance
http://www.swtexaslive.com/node/4037
Roadside snakes may breathe easier, but collectors are gasping

Very good article. I don't quite understand this comment by Mr. Creel, speaking about the amendment:

"But Matt Creel, legislative director for Isett, cried fowl last week. Creel claimed Isett’s original words were “an error” that had to be corrected. “And that’s when the consternation erupted. The perception was that we came up with the idea later, that we were blindsiding the reptile and herpetological community. The intent was not to go after the herpetological community, but to include hawking folks and falconers, so we carved out a means of addressing those concerns.”

If that is true then why didn't they work with us on an exclusion as soon as they found out we "felt we were being blindsided". To me it sounds more like the amendment was intentionally left out until after the public hearing so we wouldn't have a chance to object beforehand.

I suppose it's ok to say Mr. Creel's name since it's already in a newspaper.