The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has resoundingly approved House Bill 2460, sponsored by House Game & Fisheries Committee Chair Rep. Anita Kulik, to provide opportunities for hunter-trapper education to be taught in schools.

Bill Details

The bill calls for the Pennsylvania Game Commission to develop an age-appropriate Hunter-Trapper Education (HTE) Program, including firearm safety instruction, for students in grades 6-12. Schools could opt to incorporate this as an extracurricular class, or as part of an existing course for the purpose of outdoor recreation activity.

Under state law, all new hunters must successfully complete the Game Commission’s basic HTE course before obtaining a hunting license. Students who would take the course in school would be eligible to purchase a license after they successfully complete the course in school.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said, ‘The Game Commission applauds Chairwoman Kulik, and this legislative effort to provide hunter education in schools because it’s a great way to expose more students to the lessons of wildlife conservation and potentially pique their interest in wanting to participate in hunting themselves.’

Support from Other Organizations

The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) also applauded Rep. Kulik for her work on this bill. ‘Bringing hunter education courses to schools is one of CSF’s top priorities, as it is key to the Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation (R3) of sportsmen and women, which in turn drives essential conservation funding,’ said Kaleigh Leager, CSF Mid-Atlantic States Manager.

Original reporting: WESB (Bradford) — read the source article.