(WJET/WFXP)-- Hunters across the Commonwealth are one step closer to being able to hunt on Sundays year-round after the Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill repealing state laws dating back over 100 years.
The Senate voted 34-16 in favor of passing H.B. 1431, repealing Pennsylvania's blue laws and legalizing Sunday hunting year-round and would give authority on wildlife management over to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
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Currently, Pennsylvanians are only allowed to hunt on three Sundays per year when not hunting animals like foxes, crows and coyotes with the original ban dating back to at least 1873 with Pennsylvania’s Blue Laws.
Introduced by Representative Mandy Steele, the bill previously passed the House Game and Fisheries Committee by a vote of 131-72 earlier this month. Senator Dan Laughlin, who introduced an identical bill to the Sentate, applauded the move thanking Steele for her leadership.
“This bill is about fairness, giving working families the opportunity to hunt on Sundays, a day when many have time off but have been previously prevented from participating in this important outdoor activity,” Laughlin said. “It has strong bipartisan support because it benefits rural communities, supports local economies, and preserves outdoor traditions for future generations.”
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Laughlin's bill, Senate Bill 67, has yet to receive final approval before heading to the House.
Steele's bill now heads back to the House of Representatives for final consideration and amendments before heading to Governor Shapiro's desk to be signed into law.
