The Senate could vote as early as tomorrow, February 19, on SB 1554, a critical bill that secures the future of our natural resources by extending the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission through June 30, 2030.
Understanding the Reauthorization of SB 1554
Tennessee law requires that nearly all state boards, commissions, and departments undergo periodic review and reauthorization. This provides a “checks and balances” system to ensure state entities remain accountable to taxpayers and dedicated to their missions. It is time for TRWC’s review and reauthorization. The Senate Government Operations Committee is recommending that the Senate pass SB 1554.
Use the Take Action button to email your state Senator and urge him/her to vote “Yes” on SB 1554. Extending the Commission ensures that we, the sportsmen, continue to have a formal, transparent seat at the table where policies affecting our heritage are made.
How SB 1554 Benefits Tennessee Sportsmen
SB 1554 provides several direct benefits to the sportsmen community:
- Protects Your Voice: The Commission acts as the official representative for sportsmen. Without this extension, the primary channel for hunters and anglers to influence seasons, bag limits, and land use would disappear.
- Ensures Funding Stability: The Commission is unique because it is primarily funded by license sales (81%) rather than general tax dollars. The Commission provides oversight to ensure these “user-pay” funds are spent directly on habitat restoration, fish stocking, and public access projects that benefit those who contribute to the system.
- Maintains Science-Based Management: By extending the Commission through 2030, the bill preserves a system where wildlife decisions are made by biological experts rather than by legislative debate.
- Defends Hunting Traditions: The Commission is essential to safeguard traditional hunting and fishing methods from local government overreach.
- Drives the Outdoor Economy: Sustainable management by the Commission supports an outdoor industry that generates $5.8 billion in annual income for Tennesseans and supports over 214,000 jobs, many in rural communities where hunting and fishing are economic drivers.
How to Watch the Senate Floor Session
If you are unable to attend in person, you can watch the Senate Floor Session online.
Share This Call to Action
Spread the word! Share this important email with your family, friends, and fellow sportsmen and gun owners. Ask them to use the easy one-click Take Action button to email their state Senator in support of SB 1554.
There has never been a more crucial time in sportsmen’s history than now to be involved and engaged in protecting our way of life. If we remain silent, others will shape the outcome. We cannot allow that to happen in Tennessee. The legacy of hunting, fishing, and trapping depends on our actions today. Urge your family and friends to join you and the Sportsmen’s Alliance in the fight against the rising tide of animal extremism.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing, and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler, and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square, and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions. Stay connected to the Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
