S. Henri McClees
To Gary F. Godwin
Today at 2:12 AM

NC Legislative Week in Review: One great bill emerges and deserves our support!

We scuttled a bad idea.

Good Bill ”Omnibus Constitutional Amendments” House Bill#3

This bill contains three proposed NC state constitutional amendments. If the bill passes, these proposed amendments to our State’s constitution will appear on the ballot in the fall Election.

The amendments include (1) Eminent Domain, (2) Taxpayer Protections, which include the establishment of an emergency savings reserve fund and cap on the income tax rate limited to five and one-half percent; and (3) Right to Hunt, Fish, and Harvest Wildlife. Click here for the history and full text of HB#3.



Since 2005, the NC Sporting Dog Association has been seeking to have the “Right to Hunt” recognized in our NC Constitution. It is the surest way to protect our right to hunt for future generations. If HB#3 passes the Legislature, we can vote to recognize the right to hunt as a constitutional right. Constitutions do not grant rights. They recognize existing rights. North Carolinians have always had the right to hunt and the right to hunt with dogs. As you know, we are having to fight for these rights more strenuously in recent years.



If this Constitutional Amendment wins on the ballot, the following language will be added to our NC Constitution, “The traditions of hunting and fishing are valuable parts of the State’s heritage, important for conservation, and a preferred means of managing wildlife. The people have a right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife, using traditional methods, subject to such reasonable regulations as the General Assembly may prescribe to promote wildlife conservation and management and to preserve the future of hunting and fishing. This section shall not be construed to modify any provision of law relating to public safety, trespass, property rights, eminent domain, or the regulation of commercial activities.”



NC’s demographics are changing. Urban areas are growing, with rural areas losing population. We MUST add this recognition now before our population shifts so drastically that a majority no longer believes hunting is a right. This election could be our last real opportunity.



Hunting has strong supporters in the Senate, including Senator Buck Newton. We appreciate Buck’s pro-gun and pro-hunting stand. Buck sits on the Senate Rules Committee that propelled HB#3 forward this week. Buck is running for NC Attorney General. Good luck, Buck!



Bad Bill of the week, or it could have been bad if we had not fixed it: Senate Bill #883/ House Bill #345 ”Northampton County/WRC Shooting Ranges” is a change in local law to enable the Wildlife Resources Commission to establish a shooting range in Northampton County. There is nothing wrong with shooting ranges. The bill will pass.



The real drama began with efforts in HB#345 to enact a fox trapping season in Perquimans County—during dog hunting season. Trapping foxes while dog are running in the woods is dangerous for hunting dogs, and totally irresponsible. With the help of supportive legislators, we stopped that effort. The Wildlife Resources Commission lobbyist appeared to resent our work. His fox trapping language was a “gut and go,” a surprise addition with no notice. Joe and Henri came to the Committee meeting and found it, much to the surprise of the WRC lobbyist. We stopped the fox trapping language because it would have been bad for dog hunting. This is our job as advocates for our client, the dog hunters.



Joe and Henri lobby in the NC General Assembly for all our clients, including the NC Sporting Dog Association. We cover the committees, watching for any activity that could adversely affect dog hunting. We work against all efforts to diminish the right to hunt with dogs, whatever the source.



We are in the legislative process every day. We watch for efforts by enemies of hunting and hunting with dogs. During this “Short Session”, the efforts have been relatively minor, such as the sneak attack with fox trapping.



Serious Enemies

In the “Long Session” beginning in January 2017, substantial enemies will return to Raleigh. The Humane Society of the US (HSUS) will announce their radical legislative agenda for 2017-2018, which typically includes “puppy mills” (anti-breeder) legislation, anti-tethering, anti-bear hunting, and anti-trapping bills. They often file opportunistic bills following incidents of criminal conduct. For example, HSUS will sensationalize a criminal violation of an animal cruelty statute to demand an increased penalty or a new law expanding government’s encroachment into the property rights of citizens.



The NC Sporting Dog Association will need your support and the support of your Club. We will have many new legislators, some from your area of North Carolina. They will need to hear from local folks. We want to be sure they hear your strong voice in favor of dog hunting!



Too Much Government

“If there is ever a fascist takeover in America, it will come not in the form of storm troopers kicking down doors but with lawyers and social workers saying, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help.”

Jonah Goldberg, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning



Warning to Preserve Owners: We have heard the NC WRC is sending out letters to the pens. We were told in 2014 they were planning to go after the preserves. Now, they are formally contacting you. Be careful. Does the letter begin, “Dear Preserve Owner: We are from the government and we are here to help you”?



NC Wildlife Resources Commission: Friend or Foe? You be the judge. The WRC attempts to interfere with dog hunting in sly ways. We observe their sneaky behavior in the NC General Assembly. The recent fox trapping bill is not the first such action. We recall the rewrite of the bear management plan in 2013. It involved initial promises to bear hunters and a sneak attack in the legislature with a different plan. We lack confidence in the “good intentions” of the WRC toward dog hunting. Actions speak louder than words.



Some dog hunting groups offer to compromise with the WRC without receiving anything of value in return. Personal recognition seems to be all they ask or receive in return for weakening dog hunting. They believe “getting along” is the solution to protecting dog hunting. We don’t agree. We monitor the WRC, and guard against their attacks on dog hunting. We do not turn our backs on the WRC, and we do not think you should.



Dog hunting has lost too much already. We must fight to keep our rights and relinquish NO MORE. Protecting Perquimans County dog hunting is one example of defending our rights and heritage. We cannot afford to lose any more territory because of anti-dog hunting efforts, great or small. Dog hunters need to stand united against anti-dog hunting forces.



NC Wildlife Resources Commission next meets in July. Joe & Henri will attend the Committee meetings on 7/13/16 and the full Commission meeting on 7/14/16 in Raleigh. We will report their actions to our members.



Politics and Voting: Political rhetoric is already hot. We will all grow weary of political ads before 11/8/16. Do not lose sight of the importance of the General Election. Register to vote if you are not already registered. Be ready to vote in November! This election is extremely important for our state and our nation. Vote for candidates on the federal, state, and local levels who are pro-Second Amendment, pro-hunting, and pro-dog hunting.



Federal Elections

On the national level, the US Supreme Court will certainly change with the next President. There are 5 out of the 9 Justices that will likely be appointed in the next four to eight years. There is one vacancy already because arch-conservative Justice Scalia died this year. If the next President appoints five young Justices, it will guarantee control of the US Supreme Court for an entire generation, as these are appointments for life. We need a conservative President who will appoint conservative Justices who will uphold the Second Amendment and the rule of law in our nation.



The presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has stated she plans to use the US Supreme Court to attack the 2nd Amendment. She has stated the Heller decision was wrong and it should be overturned, removing the individual right to keep and bear arms. This is not a Presidential candidate gun owners and hunters should support. Click here to listen to Hillary Clinton speak about the 2nd Amendment and the NRA.



Do you have questions about the US Senate & Congressional races? Our US Senator Richard Burr is running for reelection. All NC Congressmen are running for reelection. Click here to locate your US Congressional District. Then go to the NC Board of Elections website for candidate information for US Congressional races and all NC elections.



North Carolina Elections

In North Carolina, vote for conservatives who are pro-gun and pro-hunting. This applies to the Governor, Legislators, Attorney General, County Commissioners, and all other races.



For detailed information about who is running and who you will have the opportunity to vote for, click here to visit the NC Board of Elections website.



Justice Bob Edmunds is running for reelection to the NC Supreme Court. He won in the Primary, but is on the ballot on 11/8/16. He is Republican, conservative, and pro-law enforcement, and has been endorsed by many of North Carolina’s Sheriffs. He is pro-gun, and has been endorsed by Grassroots NC (GRNC-PVF). NC has a divided Supreme Court, with the conservatives having one more vote than the liberals. If we lose Bob Edmunds, a liberal will take the seat, and we will have more liberal court decisions in the future.



Do you have questions about your State Senator or your Representative? Call Joe and Henri. We can help you check their voting records, and discuss their attitudes toward hunting issues. We are glad to help you as the legislative elections approach. All Legislators are on the ballot in November.



County & Local Elections

Do you know your County Commissioners? They can stop bad animal ordinances. They can let you know if animal rights wackos are working in your county. Get to know your Commissioners. Make friends with at least one like-minded Commissioner. Put a sign in your yard. Support his or her campaign. You need an ally who will call you if a bad animal ordinance is going to be considered by the Commission. You need friends in high places!



NCSDA New Website: Where is it? Yes, we are still working to update our website. I hope to finish working with our web designer as soon as the Legislature adjourns. Do you have a photogenic dog? We will display photos of hunting dogs. If you are interested in having us display a photo of your dog, send us a digital photograph, minimum 1600 wide and 1200 tall (pixels).



The website will be mobile-friendly, and all photos must comply with formatting rules for mobile websites. For example, photographs must be able to be enlarged by the viewer. Provide your name, your dog’s name, the breed of your dog, date of photo, and any other information you might want included. By sending us the photo, you are giving us permission to display the photo on our website without further permission, remuneration, and with no liability assumed by us.



Where are Joe & Henri after the NC General Assembly adjourns? We will be travelling to visit our clients in North Carolina and Joe has a trip scheduled to Washington, DC. Invite us to speak to your Club. Is your Club small? Invite other small Clubs to gather with you. We love to visit, review this Legislative Session, share gossip about the fall campaigns, and answer any questions your members may have about the issues mentioned in this E-Newsletter or anything else. Call Henri to arrange the meeting.



Special note to our Clubs and Members in western NC counties: we will be in the far western counties during the week of Monday, September 19th and thereafter. This is a special treat for us, and we would love to take this opportunity to visit you. Call us!



Thank you for your continuing support of the NC Sporting Dog Association. Joined for 2016? If not, join today! Use our existing website while the new website is being loaded or call 252-249-1097.



If you have questions or comments about any of these issues, please contact us. Call our mobiles or reply to this email. Best always, Henri and Joe



Joe and Henri McClees, Lobbyists

NC Sporting Dog Association, Inc.

PO Box 430

Oriental, NC 28571-0430

Office (252) 249-1097

Fax (252) 249-3275

www.ncsportingdog.org