A proposed constitutional amendment moving through the Louisiana Legislature could give the state’s governor significantly more influence over the body that sets fishing and hunting policy– but not everyone is on board.
As reported by the Louisiana Illuminator, the Louisiana Senate Committee on Natural Resources voted unanimously this week to advance a measure that would expand the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission from seven to nine voting members. The bill was authored by Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen.
The commission is a constitutionally protected body that has been setting wildlife and fisheries policy since 1952, with rulemaking authority granted in 1972. It controls budgets and regulations for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, including commercial and recreational fishing seasons and harvest limits.
Under the current structure, six of the seven commission seats carry overlapping terms, meaning appointees from previous administrations can remain in place when a new governor takes office. Only one seat runs a schedule tied directly to the governor’s term. According to the Illuminator, Kleinpeter’s proposal would give both new seats and the same concurrent structure, potentially allowing a governor who makes early appointments to have those picks in place for close to eight years.
The commission currently requires three of its members to reside in coastal parishes and represent the commercial fishing and fur industries– a provision that would remain unchanged. The four existing at-large seats, and the two proposed additions, can be filled by residents from anywhere in the state.
Kleinpeter told the Senate committee he hopes the expansion will bring better representation for Atchafalaya Basin, part of which falls within his district. Because the commission is written into the Louisiana Constitution, any change to its structure requires a two-thirds vote from both legislative chambers before it can appear as a ballot measure for votes to decide, which would be on Nov. 3 of this year.
Not everyone supports the shift in balance. The Louisiana Wildlife Federation has come out against the bill, arguing that the existing overlap of terms from different administrations serves as a useful check on gubernatorial power. Federation advocacy manager Rick Owens told the Illuminator that the governor already has sole authority to appoint the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and his organization favors keeping fewer commissions seats tied directly to any one administration.
