Sportsmen and Women Call for Veto Override on AB 138, DNR Secretary Appointment Bill

Wisconsin Wildlife Federation

December 15, 2009

News Release
Contact: George Meyer, Executive Director, 608-516-5545

Sportsmen and Women Call for Veto Override on AB 138, DNR Secretary Appointment Bill

Poynette: The Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, the state’s largest conservation organization, at its bimonthly Board meeting on December 12, 2009 unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the Wisconsin Assembly and the Wisconsin Senate to vote to override the Governor’s veto of Assembly Bill 138 which restores the appointment authority of the DNR Secretary back to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board.

“The request for a veto override was unanimous from the forty-five WWF Board members present who represent the 168 hunting, fishing, trapping and forestry-related groups belonging to the Federation. This is fully consistent with the message that we are getting from meetings being held with sportsmen and women across the state on the issue. Sportsmen and women’s interest in this bill remains very high and has not been dampened by the Governor’s veto. There is a recognition that the veto by the Governor, a reversal of his fourteen year position, was made easy because of his decision not to seek re-election in 2010, stated Jack Nissen (Dousman), WWF President.

“There is an understanding that the Senate amendment to AB 138 is really a minor change to the bill and does not override the great importance of the bill to sportsmen and women. Our elected officials should not let the absence of a “perfect bill” get in the way of a very good bill that the overwhelming number of sportsmen and women in this state have been working hard on for many years. Going in to 2010, hunters, anglers and trappers will be very frustrated if a veto override does not occur. They will be following this issue very carefully, indicated Ralph Fritsch (Townsend), Chair of the WWF Wildlife Committee.
The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation is the state’s largest conservation organization comprised of 168 hunting, fishing and trapping groups representing over 100,000 members. The Federation is dedicated to conservation education and the furtherance of sound conservation policies on a state and national level. The Wisconsin Wildlife Federation is an affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation.