Title: Migratory Bird Framework and Hunting Opportunities for Veterans Act
Policy area: Animals

Summary:
Migratory Bird Framework and Hunting Opportunities for Veterans Act
This bill revises requirements for hunting migratory birds. Specifically, the bill establishes January 31 of each year as the closing date of the hunting season for ducks, mergansers, and coots. In addition, states may add 2 hunting days within 14 days of the hunting season for those birds for youths, veterans, and members of the Armed Forces on active duty.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 742 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 742

To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each 
year as the Federal framework closing date for the duck hunting season 
 and to establish special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and 
           active military personnel, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 24, 2019

Mr. Bishop of Utah introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to establish January 31 of each 
year as the Federal framework closing date for the duck hunting season 
 and to establish special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and 
           active military personnel, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Migratory Bird Framework and Hunting 
Opportunities for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL CLOSING DATE FOR HUNTING OF DUCKS, MERGANSERS, AND 
              COOTS.

    Section 3 of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 704) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Federal Framework Closing Date for Hunting of Ducks, 
Mergansers, and Coots.--
            ``(1) In general.--In promulgating regulations under 
        subsection (a) relating to the Federal framework for outside 
        dates within which the States may select seasons for migratory 
        bird hunting, except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Secretary shall, with respect to the hunting season for ducks, 
        mergansers, and coots--
                    ``(A) adopt the recommendation of each respective 
                flyway council (as defined in section 20.152 of title 
                50, Code of Federal Regulations) for the Federal 
                framework if considered by the Secretary to be 
                consistent with science-based and sustainable adaptive 
                harvest management, but the framework closing date 
                shall be January 31 of each year; and
                    ``(B) allow the States to establish the closing 
                date for the hunting season in accordance with the 
                Federal framework.
            ``(2) Special duck hunting days for youths, veterans, and 
        active military personnel.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding the closing date 
                under paragraph (1) and subject to subparagraphs (B) 
                and (C), the Secretary shall allow States to select 2 
                days for youths and 2 days for veterans (as defined in 
                section 101 of title 38, United States Code), and 
                members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including 
                members of the National Guard and Reserves on active 
                duty (other than for training), to hunt ducks, 
                mergansers, and coots. Such days shall be treated as an 
                addition to the regular hunting season lengths selected 
                by the States.
                    ``(B) Requirements.--In selecting days under 
                subparagraph (A), a State shall ensure that--
                            ``(i) the days selected--
                                    ``(I) do not fall within the 
                                regular hunting season for ducks, 
                                mergansers, and coots;
                                    ``(II) with regard to youth days, 
                                are on a weekend, holiday or other day 
                                in which schools are not in session; 
                                and
                                    ``(III) are not more than 14 days 
                                before or after the hunting season for 
                                duck, mergansers, and coots; and
                            ``(ii) the total number of days in a 
                        hunting season for ducks, mergansers and coots, 
                        including any days selected under subparagraph 
                        (A), is not more than 107 days.
                    ``(C) Limitation.--A State may combine the 2 days 
                allowed for youths with the 2 days allowed for veterans 
                and members of the Armed Forces on active duty under 
                subparagraph (A), but in no circumstance may a State 
                have more than a total of 4 additional days added to 
                its regular hunting season for any purpose.
            ``(3) Regulations.--The Secretary shall promulgate 
        regulations in accordance with this subsection for the Federal 
        framework for migratory bird hunting for the 2020-2021 hunting 
        season and each hunting season thereafter.''.
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