House Bill 1585 Passes in Committee (STATEHOUSE) Feb. 5, 2009 - The House Insurance Committee unanimously passed House Bill 1585 Wednesday afternoon. House Bill 1585, authored by Rep. Bill Friend (R-Macy) would raise, for the next three years, the seasonal bag limit for deer in the top 30 counties in Indiana for deer-related vehicle accidents. It will allow hunters to take more deer in these counties and would lower the frequency of accidents. "Deer-related vehicle accidents have become a danger for Hoosier motorists," said Rep. Friend. "It's my intention that the bill will reduce the risk in Indiana. I am very pleased the bill passed out of committee quickly with no opposition or dispute." Indiana ranks ninth in the country for deer-related vehicle accidents: Eight percent of all auto crashes in Indiana in 2007 and 2008 were deer-related. These collisions cost Hoosiers over $120 million a year in damages. House Bill 1585 would provide that the DNR raise the seasonal bag limit to two times that of the previous year's limit for each of the 30 counties. Rep. Friend represents four of the five counties in the top 30 for deer-related accidents - Kosciusko, Miami, Elkhart and Marshall. In Kosciusko County, 20.3 percent of all vehicle accidents involve deer. Rep. Friend's fifth county, Fulton, ranks No. 36. "Deer-related accidents are an issue of public safety and property damage," said Rep. Friend. "My goal is to decrease the number of deer in the most susceptible counties." The latest ranking of top 30 Indiana counties for deer-vehicle accidents: Kosciusko, Steuben, Allen, Marshall, Porter, Elkhart, Tippecanoe, Noble, Dearborn, Vigo, Lake, St. Joseph, Jasper, DeKalb, Warrick, Harrison, Wabash, Huntington, Clark, Cass, Hamilton, Montgomery, Pulaski, Parke, Starke, Greene, Washington, Jackson, Wayne and Miami. This is a safe way to reduce the occurrence of deer-related accidents and keep both Hoosier motorists and hunters happy," said Rep. Friend. HB 1585 will next be heard by the full House of Representatives. |
