Power Grab by Michigan State Legislature

Voters in Michigan, as in lots of other states, have made frequent use of the initiative process.  Among other initiatives, voters enacted a ban on the target shooting of Mourning Doves — which passed by a landslide in 2006.

And an organization called Keep Michigan Wolves Protected has turned in their petition — with over 250,000 signatures — to the Secretary of State’s office.  This group has a referendum, to ban the hunting of wolves, which is expected to be on the November 2014 ballot.

And now, state senator Tom Casperson (R—Inbred) is trying to squelch those pesky treehuggers.  Tom Casperson sponsored the 2012 law that allows wolf hunting in Michigan, and his law could be overturned in the upcoming referendum sponsored by Keep Michigan Wolves Protected.

Can’t let that happen now, can we.  Tom Casperson has introduced a bill, SB 288, which would take these decision-making powers away from the voters, and even from the state legislature.  If SB 288 becomes law, the state Natural Resources Commission — which is heavily stacked with ranching and trophy hunting advocates — will have the sole power to determine which species are protected and which ones are fair game for hunting, trapping, poisoning, you name it.

The Natural Resources Commission could open a new hunting season on ANY species, with no public input whatsoever.

SB 288 also contains a million-dollar appropriation, which means that if this bill gets passed, it can’t be overturned by a citizens’ referendum.  Sleazebag.

Here is a link asking Michigan residents to call and/or e-mail their state legislators and ask them to oppose SB 288.