NEWS

The way hunters apply for Pennsylvania antlerless deer licenses is about to change for the first time in decades.

Senate Bill 431, which would allow hunters to buy antlerless licenses through the HuntFishPA automated licensing service, was signed into law this week. When it takes effect with the 2023-24 license year, antlerless licenses will be available for purchase online or in person at any license issuing agent.

The Game Commission, hunting organizations including the National Deer Association, Pennsylvania Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists and others, and everyday hunters supported the bill, championing it as the final step to fully modernizing license sales.

“Allowing for the sale of antlerless deer hunting licenses through other means such as online or through issuing agents will make it far more convenient for hunters,” said Dan Laughlin, the Erie County Senator and Chairman of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, who sponsored of Senate Bill 431.

Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans agreed.

“We thank Pennsylvania’s legislators, and in particular Chairman Laughlin, for tackling this issue and look forward to implementing a system that provides great customer service to our hunters,” Burhans said. “Our mission here at the Game Commission is twofold, to manage and protect wildlife and their habitats, but also to promote hunting and trapping for current and future generations. Modernizing how we sell antlerless licenses helps us achieve both.”

Until now, hunters applied for antlerless licenses via mail, sending those familiar pink envelopes to county treasurers, the only entity permitted to sell them. They had to do so according to a set schedule, with various deadlines based on state residency and rounds of sales, using a self-addressed stamped envelope and paper checks, something increasingly foreign to some hunters.

There were, in short, a lot of variables in play, and that occasionally led to problems with hunters getting licenses or not.

Given all that, the pink envelope system was seen by many as a barrier to hunting participation, especially when it comes to recruiting new hunters. Allowing for antlerless license sales through HuntFishPA will address those issues.

Prior to the start of next license year, the Game Commission will notify hunters on the process for applying for an antlerless license under the new system.

HARRISBURG – Legislation sponsored by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter) to end the state’s prohibition on automatic knives was signed into law Thursday by the governor.

“This change in law will benefit the Commonwealth’s outdoor enthusiasts and tradespeople who find automatic knives helpful in their work and activities,” Causer said. “It will also benefit knife manufacturers here in the state who have been at a competitive disadvantage with manufacturers in 43 other states where there was no prohibition on these tools.”

Prior law prohibited individuals from repairing, selling, dealing, using or possessing an “offensive weapon.” Included in the definition of an offensive weapon, along with bombs, grenades and machine guns, was automatic knives. The new law authored by Causer simply removes automatic knives from the list of prohibited offensive weapons.

However, someone in possession of an automatic knife with the intent to employ it criminally would still be in violation of the state’s Crimes Code, ensuring there is a mechanism in place to continue to protect the community while also removing an outdated restriction on law-abiding people.

Act 119 of 2022 takes effect in 60 days.

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Jen Smith and Acting Health Secretary and Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson today praised Governor Tom Wolf​’s ​continued commitment to address the overdose crisis by signing into law ​legislation that will avoid opioid overdose deaths. This measure (House Bill 1393) amends The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act of 1972 to no longer define fentanyl test strips as drug paraphernalia.   

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, 78% of the 5,343 overdose deaths statewide in 2021 involved fentanyl.

“Fentanyl is undetectable through sight, taste, and smell. Unless a drug is tested with a fentanyl test strip, it is nearly impossible for an individual to know if it has been laced with fentanyl,” said Secretary Smith. “We continue to encourage all Pennsylvanians to equip themselves with the life-saving drug naloxone, and now with the legalization of fentanyl test strips, individuals have an additional tool to fight the overdose crisis. This legalization is a big win in the harm reduction space, allowing individuals to be more informed given the large amount of fentanyl in our drug supply — this small strip of paper could save their life.”

FTS are a low-cost method of helping to prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm. These small strips of paper can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds of drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, etc.) and drug forms (pills, powder, and injectables), providing people who use drugs and communities with important information about fentanyl in the illicit drug supply.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, nearly 100 times more potent than morphine. In the medical setting, fentanyl can be used to treat patients with chronic pain, such as pain associated with advanced cancer or severe pain following surgery. Illicit fentanyl, on the other hand, is primarily manufactured outside of the United States, illegally brought into the U.S. and distributed and sold on the illegal drug market. It is sold as powders, nasal sprays, and pills that are made to look like prescription opioids. Fentanyl is being mixed with other illicit drugs, primarily heroin, to increase its potency. Mixing fentanyl with other drugs increases the likelihood of its use leading to a fatal overdose.

“The legalization of fentanyl test strips will undoubtedly help save the lives of Pennsylvanians by reducing drug overdoses,” said Dr. Johnson. “Many people take the deadly drug without knowing it. Now, they can use test strips to identify the presence of fentanyl, so they are not accidently exposed to the drug.”

Harm reduction is a proven public health approach that minimizes the negative consequences of drug use, saves lives, improves health outcomes, and strengthens families and communities. This approach recognizes that there will always be individuals using and misusing legal and illegal drugs, and addresses the conditions of their use. Other harm reduction tools include syringe services programs, which the Wolf Administration also strongly believes should be legalized by the General Assembly. 

There are numerous ways that Pennsylvanians can access life-saving naloxone. Dr. Johnson signed standing orders allowing members of the general public and first responders to obtain naloxone from their local pharmacy and through a partnership with Point Pittsburgh and NEXT Distro, Pennsylvania supports a statewide mail-based naloxone program for individuals to request medication for personal use.

To learn more about the Wolf Administration’s efforts in combatting the disease of addiction, visit pa.gov/opioids.