Erie County Times

State Senator Dan Laughlin of Pennsylvania plans to reintroduce legislation aimed at ending the state's prohibition on Sunday hunting. Laughlin has been advocating for this change since 2018, which led to the inclusion of three Sundays for hunting in Senate Bill 147, now Act 107 of 2019.

"Since 2018, I sponsored legislation to repeal this prohibition. Through numerous meetings and compromise, the addition of three Sundays was achieved in Senate Bill 147, now Act 107 of 2019," said Laughlin. "Although hunters have the opportunity to hunt on three Sundays, I continue to advocate to end the Sunday hunting prohibition."

Laughlin describes the current law as a remnant of outdated "Blue Laws" that were originally established during colonial times. He argues that it is time for Pennsylvania residents to have full rights to hunt on Sundays.

"The Sunday hunting prohibition is one of the last vestiges of our commonwealth’s antiquated ‘Blue Laws,’ which were created a very long time ago, some dating back to colonial times, to prevent certain activities deemed inappropriate for a Sunday," he explained. "It’s time we completely remove this prohibition. Pennsylvanians should have the right to hunt on a Sunday."

If successful, Laughlin's bill would make Pennsylvania one of the majority states—39 in total—that do not impose limits on Sunday hunting. Among those states with restrictions similar to Pennsylvania's, only Maine and Massachusetts maintain an outright ban.

Hunting is noted for its economic contributions within Pennsylvania by supporting jobs and generating revenue across various businesses such as sporting goods stores and rural diners.

"We know from surveying hunters and potential hunters that the top reason people have walked away from hunting is a lack of time," said Laughlin. "It’s clear allowing hunting on only three Sundays hasn’t provided enough freedom to encourage more people to purchase hunting licenses. Hunting is a tradition passed down through families, a bonding experience between generations; lifting this restriction will not only preserve this tradition but also ensure that it can be fully enjoyed and passed on to future generations."

Concerns about safety with increased Sunday hunting appear minimal as no significant issues have been reported since limited allowances began in 2020 or from currently permitted game types like foxes, crows, and coyotes.

In previous legislative sessions, diverse stakeholders including sportsmen and women alongside agricultural representatives worked together addressing concerns related specifically towards ending this ban by proposing measures such as creating an agricultural access permit list or enhancing trespassing laws among others.

"I want to give needed latitude into Game Commission operations enabling them greater opportunities toward increasing both general interest plus participation levels around activities involving either direct engagement via traditional means (i.e., trapping/hunting) thereby ultimately benefiting all citizens residing here within boundaries governed collectively under jurisdictional authority representing Commonwealth interests overall," stated Laughlin.

For further information regarding state-related topics constituents are encouraged visiting Senator Laughlin's official website www.senatorlaughlin.com or follow him across social media platforms like Facebook/Twitter using handle @senatorlaughin

Contact: David Kozak - Phone: 717-787-8927