House passes coyote hunting bill with noise suppressor amendment

By Guy Page

Senate-originated bills passed by the House this week include two hunting-related bills, a law enforcement bill criticized for making retention of police officers more difficult, and more support for the State House art collection. 

S281 limits the use of dogs for coyote hunting, and allows the use of noise suppressors on hunting rifles. S201 orders a study, to be completed by January of next year, on modernizing trapping techniques and regulations. 

S250, introduced by Sen. Kesha Ram-Hinsdale, creates a database of complaints about law enforcement officials and a study on ‘coercive and deceptive’ police interrogation practices. Rep. Jim Harrison (R-Killington) said he could not support the bill because Vermont already faces a police shortage problem and S250 expresses a lack of support for law enforcement professionals.

The following bills have passed the House this week:

S.250		law enforcement data collection and interrogation
S.281		hunting coyotes with dogs
S.91		the Parent Child Center Network
S.173		the State House art collection
S.181		authorizing miscellaneous regulatory authority for municipal governments
S.201		best management practices for trapping