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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Michael
J. Herzing |
State Rep. Dan Surra |
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House passes Surra bill halving game commissioner terms
HARRISBURG, June 4 – The House of Representatives today passed legislation introduced by state Rep. Dan Surra, D-Elk/Clearfield, that would reduce the term of state game commissioners from eight years to four years.
“While the Game Commission is an independent agency, it still has a responsibility to be accountable and responsive to the people, particularly the sportsmen and women that it serves,” Surra said. “Four-year terms for commissioners instead of the current eight years would make this much more likely.”
Under the legislation (H.B. 1214), current commissioners would serve the remainder of their eight-year terms, but future game commissioners would be appointed for terms lasting just four years. Commissioners could serve a second, four-year term, but would have to be reappointed by the governor and reconfirmed by the state Senate.
“The shorter terms would accomplish several goals,” Surra said. “It would put the focus of commissioners more in line with the current concerns of hunters, and it would help to ensure that most commissioners on the board are serving at the same time as the public officials who appointed and confirmed them. This would make commissioners more responsive to the people that elected those officials.”
Surra said shorter terms would also attract more residents to serve as commissioners.
“It’s a time-consuming and difficult post,” he said. “I believe requiring a shorter time commitment would result in a more diverse pool of commissioner candidates and a commission that is more reflective of all segments of the outdoors community and others who have a stake in the decisions the Game Commission makes.”
Surra said his bill is not aimed at compromising the independence of the Game Commission or politicizing the agency.
“This is an effort to strike a better balance. We still want Game Commission decisions to be based on sound science, not politics, but we also want those decisions to reflect the will of the people,” he said. “I think shorter terms and game commissioners who are more in touch with the current views of hunters and other stakeholders will mean better game management in Pennsylvania.”
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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