senate bill 1829 is a proposed bill that will legalize surface hunting on public waterways-- everybody check this out http://indiespageopoints.freeservers.com/index.html
click on indys rant
I called my local senate office in reference to this bill. They advised the bill is still in committee and not ready to be voted on. The clerk advised senators usually don't view a bill until it clears the committee. I was redirected to Teddy Carter who is over the Natural Resources Committee. He stated the committee is currently waiting on the author of the bill to submit the final bill. There is no timeline for this. He stated the testimony portion of the bill has already passed. Here is a link to the testimony. Click on the March 31, 2009 link. You may have to download Realplayer. You will also have to sit thru some other boring testimony.
He stated the best thing you can do is contact your senator and voice your opinion on the subject. But like I said earlier, they propbably won't know what you're talking about because they haven't viewed it yet. Later
be careful what you wish for concerning this proposed legislation. The way I read it, a permit for picking up artifacts on public waterways would cost you 75 bucks a year, and you would be required to report any finds to big brother. At that time, the state could "borrow" your finds for up to a year, and then have the option of paying "fair market value" for the piece whether you wanted to sell or not. Can you say "eminent domain?"
oh yeh, I forgot to tell ya the bill as written also prohibits the use of a shovel, rake, trowel, spade, hoe, or other implement the purpose of which is to remove, dislocate, or overturn soil. Digging is, and would remain, illegal.
Anybody with a felony conviction, or a misdemeanor in the past 5 years wouldn't be able to get a permit either.
keep in mind-this only pertains to public waterways, not private property, so you're still gonna be paying for your dig sites
about 7 or 8 years ago me and a buddy of mine were fined $150 each for " surface collecting" at wright patman lake in texarkana---that could have bought me 2 years ---- plus you wouldnt have to worry about breaking the law
I don't know about ya'll, but when I go "surface hunting" in my creeks, I only need a sifter. No need for a shovel, pick or any other tools (hence the "surface" part). I think we're missing the point here. Turning a hobby that's illegal to legal is not a bad thing, even if it costs a few dollars a month. I also think some of you have become spoiled. You believe that just because you've been breaking the law for years and years without the reprocussions, they should just make it legal without any requirements. Having spent so much time in this hobby and worrying about getting caught, I'm all for making it legal, even if I have to give a little.