Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen s Clubs PFSC

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1 Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen s Clubs PFSC

2 PFSC HISTORY Founded in 1932 by five fishermen who were disturbed by the increasing pollution of Pennsylvania s streams and rivers Concerned with regulations (or the lack of regulations) to protect our environment and our resources, and the political meddling in the activities of the Game Commission and the Fish and Boat Commission PFSC Founding Fathers

3 PFSC s MISSION 85+ years later, the PFSC is still guided by its original mission statement: To provide a statewide, united voice for the concerns of all sportsmen and conservationists; to insure their rights and interests are protected and to protect and enhance the environment and our natural resources.

4 PROTECTING SPORTSMEN S INTERESTS PFSC: SINCE 1932 Listens to and represents the interests of its members with full-time boots on the ground in the state capitol and with our resource agencies State Office Maintains an office in Harrisburg to service its members and to be close to agency headquarters and the political heart of the state, the state Capitol Largest and most respected state organization serving sportsmen and sportswomen. The only sportsmen s organization representing sportsmen full-time in Harrisburg! State Capitol

5 LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY The PFSC monitors legislative activity, which annually results in more than 400 bills of interest to hunters, trappers, anglers, and conservationists every legislative session: Played a key role in the passage of PA s original Clean Streams Act in 1937 Opposes efforts to merge the PGC and PFBC with DCNR; or to merge the agencies law enforcement with DCNR s park rangers Opposes efforts to remove the game lands from the Game Commission s control, thus turning these valuable assets (habitat, gas, oil, timber etc.) and public hunting lands over to the control of other agencies under the influence of the legislature and Governor s office

6 LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY Opposes efforts to change the way our endangered species are regulated to make it easier on oil/gas/coal companies to avoid conflicts and/or attain permits Supports management of all wildlife staying under the supervision and regulation of our resource agencies, and not with the legislature s political and emotional whims Opposes bills seeking to micromanage the Game and Fish & Boat Commissions ability to establish seasons and bag limits, as well as other regulatory issues Opposes the constant barrage of anti-gun legislation that does nothing more than infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens

7 MONITORING LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES View all the legislation the Federation is tracking on our website Click on the Legislative Center Tab

8 COMMUNICATION & SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH Website: News Alerts: To receive all of the up to the minute news and information pertinent to PFSC members, sign up by sending a request to info@pfsc.org Facebook Page: Twitter: Follow PFSC s Director of Government Follow PFSC s

9 COMMUNICATION & SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH On Target Magazine The official publication of the PFSC - a 36-page informative magazine delivered bi-monthly (6 times/yr) and chock-full of the most recent hunting, trapping, fishing, environmental and of course, legislative issues that are important to our members. Also reports and information from our affiliated state organizations and resource agencies.

10 WHY WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER Sportsmen s organizations are splintered Interests are in line with each other Specialized in mission Need for common voice on legislative and regulatory matters Stronger participation needed by other outdoor groups

11 SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned. Art. 1, 21 (enacted 1790, art. IX, 21). 1776: That the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the state; and as standing armies in the time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; And that the military should be kept under strict subordination, to, and governed by, the civil power. Declaration of Rights, cl. XIII. [Self-defense right protected, Sayres v. Commonwealth, 88 Pa. 291 (1879).]

12 SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS The PFSC is Pennsylvania s NRA-approved Organization For Legislative Affairs Track more than 80 firearm related bills each legislative session Working and cooperative relationship not only with the NRA, but also with the Sportsmen s Alliance, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and other state 2 nd Amendment groups

13 SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS Provided support for the Castle Doctrine (2011) - affords any lawful gun owner the right to self-protection anywhere they have a lawful right to be Assisted in repealing the Philadelphia Firearms Act authority for implementing firearms laws/restrictions is under the state legislature alone, not individual counties or municipalities Passed legislation (1997) mandating the protection of all existing clubs in Pennsylvania from having their shooting ranges closed due to noise complaints

14 MEMBERSHIP Clubs: (minimum of 10 members) Dues based on membership numbers ($50 to a maximum of $1,125). The club president, secretary and delegate receive the On Target publication. Be kept abreast of current event via PFSC s News Alerts Voting privileges at PFSC s twice-annual General Sessions via proxies sent with their county delegate or in person via a club delegate.

15 MEMBERSHIP Individual Members: Represented by the Member-At-Large Delegate. Receives the On Target publication. Regular Individual Members: $25/yr. E-Members: $15/yr. - Receives all information electronically Contributing Members: $50/yr. Making a greater investment in the work of the PFSC. Acknowledged in the On Target. Life Members: $300 Making a long-term investment in the PFSC. Acknowledged in the On Target. Life Member pin. Next Generation Members (under 21): $10/yr.

16 MEMBERSHIP Statewide Organizations: PA Chapter NWTF PA Pheasants Forever PA Flyers Association PA Trappers Association United Bowhunters of PA With Voting Privileges: $1,100 (Under 1,000 members) $1,600 (Over 1,000 members) * Board of Director and Delegate status with full voting privileges on the board and general sessions Without Voting Privileges: $600 * Provide input to the board and delegates, but no voting privileges

17 MEMBERSHIP Business and Corporate Members: Categories and rates from $200 to $5,000+ available to businesses, corporations and national organizations supporting our mission. Logo and link on the PFSC website Listed in On Target Membership certificate to display Other advertising opportunities based on membership level

18 DIVISIONS Delegates from each county affiliate, individual members NORTHWEST: Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango NORTHCENTRAL: Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter NORTHEAST: Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming CENTRAL: Bradford, Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union SOUTHCENTRAL: Bedford, Blair, Fulton, Huntington, Juniata, Mifflin SOUTHWEST: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Cambia, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland SOUTHERN: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York SOUTHEAST: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Schuylkill

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20 GOVERNENCE STRUCTURE PFSC Board: Meets quarterly to conduct the business of the Federation (Jan, March, June, September) Officers: Elected by the County Delegates (2-year term) PFSC Director of Government Affairs John Kline, addressing the Board of Directors & attendees at the 2017 Spring General Session Division Directors: Representative from each division, elected by the county delegates within their respective divisions Statewide Org Delegates: Representative from each affiliated state organization Member-at-Large: Elected for a 2-year term by the individual members to represent their interests

21 GOVERNENCE STRUCTURE General Session: Held twice a year (March & September) County Delegates: Elected by the affiliated clubs within their county. Represent the will of their clubs via proxies from the clubs. Club Delegates: May represent the will of their club in person or via a proxy carried by their county delegate Statewide Org Delegates: Representative from each affiliated state organization with voting privileges Member-at-Large: Elected for a 2-year term by the individual members to represent their interests

22 QUESTIONS?