Indiana Outdoor Stewardship Act (IOSA)
HB 1376, which included a proposed Indiana Outdoor Stewardship Act, was introduced in the 2019 Indiana legislative session. The bill did not receive a hearing in the House Natural Resources Committee, but the Act warrants attention from all conservation advocates.
The Indiana Outdoor Stewardship Act (IOSA) would increase state investment in Indiana’s natural resources—our land, our waters, and our native wildlife. The Act would accomplish this by dedicating the share of existing sales tax revenue that is generated by the sale of outdoor equipment and sporting goods—i.e., camping equipment, hunting and fishing equipment, hiking equipment, bicycling equipment—to state land, water, and wildlife conservation programs.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Sue Errington (D), with Rep. Rita Fleming (D) and Rep. Mike Aylesworth (R) being added as co-sponsors.
Fact sheet on Indiana Outdoor Stewardship Act
Op Ed on Need for Better Conservation Funding, sent to the media in January 2019, prior to the bill’s introduction.
Take Action
Although HB1376 is dead for this year, it will be appropriate to start building awareness of the Indiana Outdoor Stewardship Act and advocating with Indiana legislators when the session is over.
It has always been assumed that getting the IOSA approved will be a long-term project. Similar bills have been passed in other states, most recently in Georgia. All of them took multiple years to build the necessary coalitions.
You can find updated information on the project as things progress at the INCA website, http://indianaconservationalliance.org/. The organizations supporting the proposed Act are also listed there.
Find and contact your legislator.
Recovering America’s Wildlife Act
From Indiana Conservation Alliance website: On July 12th, sixty-two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Rep. Dingell (D-Michigan) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebraska), introduced the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, H.R. 3742. The bill finds that: “An assessment of the best-known groups of United States wildlife and plants indicates that one-third of America’s species are vulnerable to extinction and one-fifth imperiled and at high-risk of extinction.”
The bill will provide $1.3 billion annually to the states for wildlife protection and recovery, focused on the species of greatest conservation need. These are fish and wildlife species listed as endangered, threatened or of special concern. Indiana would receive approximately $20 million a year under the bill’s distribution formula. To receive these funds, Indiana would have to come up with a matching amount of nearly $7 million a year. The funds would allow the Indiana DNR to more effectively implement the State Wildlife Action Plan.
If passed, H.R. 3742 would provide a major boost for American wildlife conservation.
Take action:
Contact your member of the House of Representatives and ask him or her to cosponsor H.R. 3742.
Find your member of Congress (enter zip code in box in upper right corner of page).