Texas Prop 6

What do you guys think about Prop 6 - 2015? Overkill, unnecessary, great for future generations?
YakSmack
Texas Prop 6

I only read the little blurb of language it was adding but I don't see what its actually changing other than officially adding it to the TX Constitution. So ........

I dont get it, I dont think it would tangibly change anything for the average joe outdoorsman. maybe make harassing fisherman a violation of my rights???

seems dumb

I dont think when any constitution was written there were seasons or licenses

Someone said that once its In our Texas constitution then only Texas can amend it. Any truth to this?

from everything ive read on it, it isnt officially in the constitution that hunting, fishing, and harvesting wildlife is a protected Texas constitutional right. this amendment officially protects that right and prevents an special interest group like PETA from trying to pass legislation that would inhibit hunting, fishing, or harvesting. they claim that hunting is barbaric and unnecessary to control population of wildlife and that sport fishing is cruel

This is exactly why I am voting FOR it.

I've posted it on FB when I first received the voting propositions in the mail.
Lots folks didn't understand it, and many thought anglers & hunters were safe & clear being that we live in a highly conservative state.
But if it aint on the state constitution, its not a right, only a privilege. Doesn't take much to lose a privilege.

Honestly, anything that pisses off PETA, I'm automatically for. All joking aside, we need an amendment like this in the state constitution to protect our rights to hunt and fish. Like AdanV just said, if it's not officially in the wording of the constitution, it's not officially a right, it's just a privilege. A privilege can be taken away if it's not protected. I'm voting for it!

my thoughts exactly Frog and Adan

The official ballot title: "The constitutional amendment recognizing the right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife subject to laws that promote wildlife conservation"

Emphasis mine.

It's a joke. It changes nothing. PETA can still get their way, simply though laws that "promote wildlife conservation".

In what ways does it change nothing? If its not a protected constitutional right now, and then its voted in as such, how is that not a change?

If it is subject to whatever laws they pass to regulate it, it is not a right.

Sources? I've wondered about the prop laws and would like some info on the good and bad.

Todd click the "prop 6" link in my OP

Thanks Cody and I did read that. I know the Good of it and like it. I'm really looking for arguments against it. Good legal arguments and not opinions. Also looking for any hidden carp politicians like to stick in bills.

at the top there is a tab titled "opposition" and it gives you positions of politicians that oppose the amendment

Thanks Cody I missed that. Yep just what I thought. No legal argument against it and nothing like it infringes on other right or is weighted down with carp. All they can do is say it clutters the constitution or it's a stupid right like making a right to watch sports on TV. I know a guy on TFF that was unemployed for over a year and he fished to feed his family. I would hate to see his ability to feed his family taken away by anybody. As of right now I don't see a legitimate reason to vote against this.

Thats where i'm at Todd. It more of the "what if" factor for me. Vote yes, nothing changes, no big deal. Vote no, something changes, aww [censored] I should have voted yes.

Todd,

I hope you're well. I do some political consulting in my "other job," so I've been following this closely. There is no gain or loss with this law in and of itself. It's a political game for lawmakers to push their conservative bona fides around and say that they did something.

It wouldn't stop PETA because PETA would address the kind of concerns that Prop 6 would protect against in Federal Court, and then the supremacy clause of the federal government would trump this. I was talking to a Republican politician who is advocating for this publicly (because he has too), but he noted that Prop 6 could actually be used by PETA more effectively than it can be used against them because it would place the question of inherent rights of sportsman in front of judges in a way that conservative judges would bristle at (the founders didn't suggest sportsmanship as a right here in Texas, as they didn't put it in there).

To give you perspective, sportsman are in much worse situations in California. They have this amendment for fishing already. It didn't help anything when legal questions have gone against fisherman out there.

Likely, the bill doesn't hurt sportsman here in Texas, but it doesn't really help either. It's a publicity opp for politicians... that's it.

The only bad thing about it - other than the shameless publicity opp (those kill me) - is that our politicians are working on these kind of silly things when there are real problems in the state to deal with. They took time to puff their chests out while there is a lot of real work to do - some of it really affecting natural resources and sportsmanship.

It's a nice sounding bill, and I can't fault anyone for voting for it. However, I can fault the politicians who decided to waste time and resources on this instead of real problems all day long. I'll probably vote for it, but I'm tempted to vote against it just because it bothers me I'm voting on something dumb like this in the first place instead of things that really matter.