SCI’s state and local advocacy team follows policy issues in state legislatures and with state wildlife departments and commissions.
The team meets routinely with legislators, department officials, and commissions; drafting testimony on legislation and regulations to influence policy and help set legal standing. The advocacy team also works to guide grassroots engagements with members, chapters, and other like-minded stakeholders on critical issues
SCI’s state and local liaisons regularly respond to relevant legislative and regulatory notices through written comments, monitor notices from members and chapters, work in coalitions with other state and national conservation organizations, and appear in conservation-related media when possible. We also work closely with SCI’s legal advocacy, communications, and federal advocacy staff to address hunting-related issues.
Hunting is under assault every day at the state and local level. Often, SCI is the only organization commenting on proposed legislation and regulations, covering everything from rabbits to rhinos. SCI engages at every opportunity because state level policy decisions have a real and immediate impact on our members. We are willing partners and proactive members of the conservation community, working to advance SCI’s mission of being First For Hunters.
Our frequent areas of engagement include defending predator hunting and fighting unscientific state wildlife referendums (“ballot box biology”), ensuring state wildlife commissions continue to support sustainable use, fighting access limitations including lead ammunition and Sunday hunting restrictions, opposing state trophy import bans, mediating resident and nonresident allocation conflicts, and supporting constitutional right-to-hunt amendments.
