By Blake Jackson
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has avoided a $150 million transfer from its Game Fund to the Clean Streams Fund. The transfer, which was included in a budget bill (House Bill 1300) approved by the Senate in August, was stripped from the bill by the House of Representatives on Oct. 4.
The transfer was opposed by the Game Commission, which warned that it could jeopardize the agency's eligibility for federal Pittman-Robertson funding. The Pittman-Robertson Act provides funding for states to support wildlife conservation and hunter education programs.
The Senate is expected to negotiate with the House to resolve the Fiscal Code, but the removal of the transfer amendment is a victory for the Game Commission and hunting and conservation groups.
The Game Commission said it is looking at different options for programmatic investments, to be paid from the Game Fund, to complement work it is already conducting.
State Rep. Dave Maloney, R-Berks, introduced legislation (House Bill 1719) to prevent money in the Game Fund from being used by any entity other than the Game Commission. He called the attempted transfer "unconstitutional" and said the Game Fund money belongs to sportsmen and sportswomen.
Maloney's bill has 15 co-sponsors and is currently in the House Game and Fisheries Committee.
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Categories: Pennsylvania, Government & Policy