Legislative Updates March 2, 2025

Dear Letters to the Editor Department,

I want to share an experience I had with bill HB 589. 

I drove over to Concord to testify for this bill and I actually brought my 3rd grade daughter, and let her miss school, because she cares about animals, especially wildlife.  I also wanted her to see how our government works, and how legislation happens.  How making your voice heard about something that matters to you is important.  While she was there, one of the speakers was a former police officer who spoke about the implications to youth, allowing this type of wanton life-taking to be lawful.  

I have wanted to let her know the outcome of this bill, and I was hopeful — there was so much support compared to opposition: 590 people signed in to support HB 589 and 50 opposed the bill! So over 90% in favor, with much testimony.  Meaning less than 10% oppose, and no one testifying said they approved of wildlife killing contests. 

Yet what I find out is that when the bill was voted on there was no mention of the public sign-in tallies on this.  I thought that was really important to the committees’ decision? A committee member did ask about that thankfully, however what was reported was totally wrong and no one corrected it.  This is quite bothersome.  Is this usually what happens with bills?  Does citizen input become a mere afterthought — and then not even correctly represented?  Did the committee even review the testimony submitted at all?  How can we make sure that public testimony is reviewed, with this bill, and any brought to committee?   

I guess I will tell my daughter the bill was stopped by the committee.  I’ll also let her know that people wrote in to support the bill over 10:1, but the committee making the vote didn’t seem to know that fact. It will be a lesson in how our legislature works, but not the one I thought.  

Emily Murphy

Dover, NH

2025 Legislative Update February 2025 House Bill 389 to end wanton waste of killing wild animals for no other reason than they can and to end some wildlife killing contests. There will be a hearing in the Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee, but it hasn’t been scheduled yet. Click the blue links to learn more about the bill and when it will be scheduled. You can call any of these lawmakers on the committee at any time to ask them to support this bill. House Bill 387 would ban the practice of releasing balloons. It will have a hearing in the Criminal Justice and Safety Committee and is not scheduled yet. The bill states that balloons released into the air are a form of littering as they eventually come down. They are harmful to wildlife and to marine animals who mistake them for food. This is a big issue for environmentalists, so please share it with all of your friends.

Wishing the Very Best 2025 for all the Wild Critters. Safe Hiking In New Hampshire for 2025 Purchasing the Hike Safe Card is a way to support New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Search and Rescue operations, as it directly funds this vital service. For those who love wildlife and wish to contribute without endorsing or supporting the harmful treatment of them through hunting or fishing activities, purchasing the card is one of the ways to do it. By getting it in January, you’re maximizing its value, as it provides coverage for the entire calendar year. Why Buy the Hike Safe Card? 100% of proceeds go directly to Search and Rescue operations. You’re supporting one of NH Fish and Game’s most vital, humane programs. Even if you don’t hike, it’s a meaningful way to contribute to a critical public service. Go here to buy a card – Hiking Safety | State of New Hampshire Fish and Game for only $25 per person or $35 for a family. Thank You!

August 22, 2024: The fundraiser for wildlife-friendly NH lawmakers has ended. To see who VOW donated to please check here – Fundraiser Recipients Thank you to everyone who donated so that VOW was able to support good candidates for wildlife.

July 6, 2024-VOW is in the process of having a fundraiser to help elect or re-elect lawmakers in Concord, NH, who have a track record of helping wildlife. Please donate any amount you can, and for a $100 donation, you are eligible to receive a free Audubon “Songbirds of the World” collection plate. See the plates here – Audubon Plates – Voices of Wildlife in New Hampshire (VOW) (voicesofwildlifeinnh.org)

If you donate, please state in the Note section on the donation form that your donation is for the Candidate Fundraiser, and let us know what plate you would like if eligible. Thanks!

UPDATE: April 11, 2024, Voices of Wildlife in NH is planning a protest in Concord, NH, on April 20. Please email us for more information. info@voicesofwildlifeinnh.org The wild animals of NH and we need you there.

UPDATE: February 16, 2024 – The following bills to protect animals failed to pass. We will have elections this year, and it is important to vote animal-friendly people in and not friendly legislators out. When not knowing who is good for animals and who isn’t, please ask us or check this Page on this website. If you have questions about the people running to represent you, email us at info@voicesofwildlifeinnh.org, as we are happy to help.

HB1100, the bill to close the coyote hunting season for five months, was voted out of committee Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL)

HB1527, the bill to allow landowners to use purple paint to mark property No Trespassing, was ITL.

SB346, the bill to end coyote hounding, was tabled by the Senate.

Beautiful red coyote somewhere in NH

UPDATE: January 21, 2024, The Senate Energy and Natural Resources has not voted on our legislation to end coyote hounding, so there is still time to contact them and politely ask them to support this bill to end the cruel and unnecessary hounding of coyotes. They are not meeting on Tuesday, January 23, so they may vote the following Tuesday. Copy and paste these email addresses of the Senators on the Committee: Regina.Birdsell@leg.state.nh.us
Howard.Pearl@leg.state.nh.us
david.watters@leg.state.nh.us
Debra.Altschiller@leg.state.nh.us
Kevin.Avard@leg.state.nh.us

January 18, 2024 Read this about the hearing. You need to click the Sen hearing report with the date of 1/12/2024. Thank you to everyone for sending in your support for the bill. We had 228 people sign in to Support and thirty-four to Oppose.

January 10, 2024: The hearing for SB 346 was yesterday, and you can watch it by clicking HERE. We heard they will have the executive session next week. The squirrel bill was heard before the coyote bill and will also be in executive session next week. We will update you. There is still time to contact the committee members or just one if you see something specific you would like to address after watching the hearing, such as a question one of them may have asked. Please make sure always to be polite. Addressing them as Senator and then the name is respectful. Executive session is when they discuss the bill and decide whether to support it. We can watch this proceeding, but we cannot participate. It will also stream online.

January 1, 2024: We have a date for Senate Bill 346, the bill to prohibit coyote hounding. You can NOW sign in remotely to vote in SUPPORT of the bill. Click here to open the page. There will be a calendar on the page and click January 9 and go from there. It is self-explanatory, but here are step-by-step instructions if you want to review the process.

Coyote hounding is wanton waste. NH Fish and Game is opposed to wanton waste of a natural resource. Coyotes are not eaten, and the fur is useless after being bitten by dogs and at times of year when coyote hounding is permitted.

It is inhumane to the hounds and the coyotes. Coyotes cannot escape dogs by climbing a tree. Once exhausted, they must turn and fight to protect themselves. Because the coyotes are outnumbered, it is a losing battle for them. It takes some time for the hunter to catch up to shoot the coyote.

Coyote hounding is not fair chase hunting. NH Fish and Game states it is opposed to non-fair chase hunting. Coyote hounding is done purely for sport and fun. It is unethical hunting.

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COYOTE 2024 NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGISLATION

Coyotes will have two bills in the 2024 legislative session, beginning in January, to give them something they have deserved for a long time – a closed hunting season to raise their pups and an end to cruel and vicious hounding. HB 1100, the Coyote Pup Protection Act, will be heard in the NH House, most likely in January, and after that, the bill to prohibit coyote hounding will be heard in the NH Senate. When the House bill passes the House, it goes to the Senate; when the Senate bill passes the Senate, it goes to the House. We need everyone’s help along the way. For a clearer picture of the legislative process, READ THIS.

Your help will only be as difficult as you choose it to be. Most of it you can do right from your phone or computer. If you want to attend the hearings, that is great, but contacting your NH Representatives and Senators by phone or email is the most important thing you can do. They will support the bills if they see enough support from their constituents.

This will begin in January 2024, so enjoy the holidays until then!

Easiest Action: An online voting ballot will be posted before committees hear bills. We will notify you if we have your email address when this is posted. Otherwise, follow our Facebook page or this website. Often, there is short notice, so we recommend we have your email address, but if not, please keep checking often, beginning in January.

Contact the NH lawmakers who represent you: We all have one Senator and usually more than one Representative. Go to the House roster page and select your town to find yours. When writing or calling them, make sure they know you are a constituent. If your Representative or Senator is on one of the committees hearing the bills, please get in touch with them before the committee hearing. If they are not on the committee, you can wait until after the hearing to get in touch with the Reps and Senator who represent you. Just please get in touch with them before the Full House or Full Senate vote. We will let you know when that happens.

The Committees: The House committee hearing HB 1100 is the Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee. The Senate committee hearing the coyote hounding bill is the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

If you are able to do more, such as attending the hearings and signing in support of the bills, we would love to have you there. It will be helpful to have your email so we can let you know when and how, but you can also show up at the Legislative Office Building for the House and the State Capitol building for the Senate bills. We will post the days, times, and room numbers here as soon as we find out.

Op-ed from coyote expert Chris Schadler Coyote hounding is simple animal abuse, by Chris Schadler | Op-Ed Columns | sentinelsource.com

How to watch NH Fish and Game Commission meetings — Since Sep 2022, Voices of Wildlife has been filming the NH Fish and Game Commission meetings.