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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>In August a law went to effect in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Illinois</st1:place></st1:State> that removed vital protections for
birders and other outdoor sports/hobbyists. Except hunters: They got
stronger protection.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The direct consequence of this is that everyone from the
farmers in central IL to the Fermilab officials may prohibit birding, biking,
fishing, etc. on their property. All of the private landowners who let bike
trails go through their land will be thinking twice.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>You can thank the trial lawyers association for this. And
YOU can do something to restore your ability to bird on private property.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Details: For more than 40 years <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Illinois</st1:place></st1:State> law has encouraged private
landowners to make their land available for outdoor recreation. To do this, the
landowners, land trusts, corporations, etc., received liability protection. So if
you tripped over a corn stalk while out in the farmer’s field looking for
a Smith’s Longspur, for example, you could not sue the farmer.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Now you can – thanks to Public Act 94-0625.
(This whole mess started with a similar lawsuit about sledding in someone’s
backyard so don’t discount the possibility.)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The legislature changed the law to provide liability
protection for only “hunting and shooting.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>It probably was not the original intent. Legislative
action was needed but, in the end, only two interest groups (i.e., lobbyists)
were active in the discussions – the NRA and the lawyers.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>WHAT YOU CAN DO:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Contact your state legislators right away: <a
href="http://www.illinois.gov/government/gov_legislature.cfm">http://www.illinois.gov/government/gov_legislature.cfm</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>This legislation can be changed in the upcoming “veto”
session (--which is not limited to vetoed bills); it happens in the next two
weeks. Most legislators were probably clueless about the impact of their
vote and they won’t know it matters to anyone until you tell them.
A phone call or a quick note is OK. You don’t need to explain why
it is important, just that it is important to you. Just tell them to restore “liability
protection for recreational and conservation purposes.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Get your friends and neighbors to call too. The legislation
either gets changed before the first week in November or we have to wait until
next spring to start again.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>BIRDING LOBBYIST<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>If you can donate to fund a lobbyist in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Springfield</st1:place></st1:City>, stay tuned. BCN and FOTFP
belong to the Partners for Parks and Wildlife, which uses professional
lobbyists. I am getting the details on how we can encourage their efforts
on our behalf.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Randi Doeker<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Chicago</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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