John-Mark’s Policy Scouting Report
As a result of our 2026 Chapter Survey in which Missouri Members asked for more legislative updates, we are launching our Legislative Scouting Report to keep you abreast of the regulatory and legislative issues we are monitoring, and any stance taken on those issues. To add a hunting bent to this analysis, we will be ranking issues based on buck development:
- Button Bucks: Issues we are monitoring that are not yet ripe for action.
- Shooter Bucks: Issues where the Chapter has already taken formal action (testimony, letters, or meetings).
- Missouri Monarchs: Critical "Call to Action" items where we need every member to chime in and burn up the phone lines or comment portals.
For example, the bills listed below are currently Button Bucks. If they are scheduled for a hearing, they jump to Shooter Bucks, and we will issue formal testimony in opposition. If they move to the floor for a vote, they become Missouri Monarchs, and we will ask you to contact your representatives immediately.
Button Bucks -
- HJR 172 - Sponsor Rep. Don Mayhew
What it Does: This resolution proposes to increase the Conservation Commission from 4 to 7 members, with a mandate that each reside in a different congressional district. More critically, it eliminates the permanent status of the 1/8th cent conservation sales tax (the MDC’s primary funding source) and requires a voter renewal every 10 years. It also requires the MDC to pay property taxes on state lands at a rate "not less than" that of private citizens.
Our Chapter’s Stance: OPPOSE. These changes threaten the long-term financial stability of our state's conservation efforts and invite political interference into scientifically guided management. We will make our opposition known to our elected representatives.
- HB 3081 - Sponsor Rep. Bennie Cook
What it Does: This bill repeals Section 12.025, RSMo, effectively withdrawing state consent for federal concurrent jurisdiction over the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR). It asserts that Missouri law and MDC regulations should have primacy over the National Park Service in these waters. This would prevent NPS rangers from enforcing Missouri wildlife violations and likely trigger costly litigation over road closures and jurisdictional authority.
Our Chapter’s Stance: OPPOSE. We believe this bill will lead to unnecessary and expensive litigation. It is a wasteful use of resources that creates confusion for outdoorsmen and women on the ground.
- HB 2905 - Sponsor Rep. Don Mayhew
What it Does: Requires federal agencies (such as the USFS or USFWS) to seek state concurrence before implementing land management plans. It also mandates specific reporting to the General Assembly regarding any federal land acquisition or changes in land use within Missouri.
Our Chapter’s Stance: OPPOSE. This bill creates bureaucratic hurdles that impede expeditious and scientifically supported land management on our federal public lands.
- SB 1126 - Sponsor Sen. Mary Coleman
What it Does: Mandates an annual report on all "unutilized" or "abandoned" state property. It authorizes the Governor to unilaterally sell or transfer specific parcels of state-owned land (potentially including tracts currently managed by the DNR or MDC) without legislative review.
Our Chapter’s Stance: OPPOSE. This bill is facially unconstitutional and poses a direct threat to the integrity of our state-managed public lands.
- MDC Proposed Change: $5 Camping Permit for MDC Properties
What it does: To address the misuse of camping facilities, the MDC proposes a $5 permit (valid for 5 days/4 nights) via the online portal.
Our Chapter’s Stance: UNDER REVIEW. We are still developing an official stance and welcome your feedback. Currently, the $5 fee feels arbitrary. If the goal is monitoring, a free permit system would suffice. If the goal is funding maintenance, the fee should be commensurate with other public camping rates (such as those at the ONSR) to provide a meaningful return.
- MDC Proposed Change: Small Game Permit Requirement for Unstaffed Ranges
What it Does: Due to consistent misuse and the subsequent closure of several ranges, the MDC proposes that all users of unstaffed ranges possess a small game hunting permit (unless otherwise exempt). This effectively requires all range users to complete Hunter Education.
Our Chapter’s Stance: UNDER REVIEW. Our initial assessment is positive. Public land use is a privilege, and mandating basic firearm safety through Hunter Education is a reasonable condition for that privilege. This requirement ensures the ongoing support of the general public for our shooting traditions and provides a modest revenue increase for the MDC. We welcome your thoughts on this proposal.
Shooter Bucks -
What it Does: Missouri BHA has been working with the FWS to resubmit the Refuge Migratory Game Bird, Upland Game, and Big Game Hunt Plan (“Hunt Plan”) for public comment and final rule approval.
The Hunt Plan proposes opening 3,805 acres of the 7,440-acre main Refuge in Holt County to hunting. Furthermore, 534 acres across three former Farm Service Agency properties managed by the Refuge would also become available for public hunting and recreation.
Our Chapter’s Stance: SUPPORT. We have engaged directly with FWS officials and strengthened our partnership with Loess Bluffs through participation in their annual Eagle Days and our upcoming refuge cleanup at 10:00 AM on Saturday, May 16. We are committed to keeping the FWS focused on this expansion of opportunity. Please support these efforts by joining us for the May 16th cleanup and preparing to submit public comments once the Hunt Plan is officially resubmitted for regulatory approval.
- Energy and Water Appropriations Bill (Big River Funding)- Rep. Bob Onder
What it Does: This project addresses a critical environmental crisis in the Big River, a primary tributary of the Meramec, where decades of mining-derived heavy metal sediments have settled into the riverbed. This accumulation degrades aquatic habitats and impairs the health of the entire Meramec Basin fishery. By securing Community Project Funding through the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill, the MRBER Project will enable the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to focus on reducing sediment migration and restoring channel stability. This proactive intervention prevents further downstream contamination and protects the long-term ecological health and recreational value of the Meramec.
Our Chapter’s Stance: SUPPORT. Our chapter has sent a letter to Representative Onder to champion this request, as it ensures federal resources are dedicated to this important restoration work.
Missouri Monarchs –
- House Joint Resolution (HJR) 140- Twin Metals Mine (Boundary Waters, Minnesota)
What it Does: This project, proposed by the Chilean-owned company Antofagasta, involves a sulfide-ore copper mine located immediately upstream of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Because the BWCAW is a water-based wilderness with interconnected lakes and fractured bedrock, any acid mine drainage would flow directly into the heart of the wilderness. Recently, legislative efforts (like HJR 140) have attempted to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn a 20-year federal mining ban in the area's headwaters, setting a dangerous precedent for all public lands. Use and passage of this bill would set a precedent for public land protections to be rolled back and selloffs across the country.
Our Chapter’s Stance: OPPOSE. BHA strongly opposes any effort to bypass scientific review or strip protections from the Boundary Waters. We support the work of BHA’s national leadership to oppose this project and ask that you oppose this measure by lobbying your elected officials. Contact Your Senators TODAY!
John-Mark Zini | Policy Chairman & Kansas City Board Member
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
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