This article is over 8 years old

Houston Matters

Should Hunting and Fishing Be a Constitutional Right in Texas? Voters Will Decide in November

Last week, the Texas Legislature approved a proposed state constitutional amendment — Senate Joint Resolution 22 — that would protect Texans’ right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife. It’ll be up to voters to ratify in November. Nearly 20 other states have approved similar amendments to their state constitutions. Supporters, including the Texas State Rifle […]

| Posted on

Share

Listen

To embed this piece of audio in your site, please use this code:

<iframe src="https://embed.hpm.io/1/212304" style="height: 115px; width: 100%;"></iframe>
X
Last week, the Texas Legislature approved a proposed state constitutional amendment — Senate Joint Resolution 22 — that would protect Texans' right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife. It'll be up to voters to ratify in November.

Nearly 20 other states have approved similar amendments to their state constitutions.

Supporters, including the Texas State Rifle Association, say SJR 22 protects Texas’ heritage from lawsuits and other legal challenges. Opponents say supporters are overstating their threat to these activities, and hunting and fishing are recreational pastimes that don't belong in the state constitution.

Doug DuBois, Executive Director of the Texas State Rifle Association, says his organization supports the resolution. But some Texas lawmakers question amending the state constitution to include the right to hunt and fish. That includes State Representative Roland Gutierrez.

Houston Matters' Maggie Martin talked with both DuBois and Guiterrez about why they’re for and against the proposed amendment.