I'll make this fast, becasue I'm really tired.
By a unanimous vote (11-0), proposed ammendment NR 45.04(3)(q) ((Paint balls. No person may use paint balls, paint ball guns or any other type of paint ball equipment on (Wisconsin DNR) department lands.)) was officially removed from the bill in question. There were 11+ other items in the bill, and those will now be up for consideration. The paintball ammendment will now be sent back to the DNR for review, and ammendment, before it returns to comittee for consideration.
Translation : We stopped it.
The quick version of what happened. The hearing started at 1 PM and opened with the possibility of elk hunting on DNR land up north. 2.5 HOURS LATER, they decided to stop talking about elk, bear, and all sorts of other hunting.
The DNR guy said his reasons to ban paintball, and it was PAINFULLY OBVIOUS that the DNR had done little, if any, research into paintball, how it's played, where it's played, and what it's all about. It was also painfully obvious that the DNR rep was ill prepared. The DNR seemed to not have done their homework into paintball. For example, they were convinced that paintball players used oil based paint exclusively, wore body armor to play, and wore "Goggles or helmets". It was actually refreshing to hear legislators and state senators actually in favor of paintball as an activity, even though none of them played the game.
Oh, and when asked directly "Have there been any complaints or problems of paintball use of public land" the DNR rep said "No." It was then asked why laws were being made when there really was no problem to fix. I think it was Dave who said what I think we were all thinking. "How could the DNR propose something like this without even doing basic research?"
More later, but suffice to say we won this battle. If it needs to go to round two, anyone wanna come up to Madison to have a 'chat' with the DNR? I've already had my say, and I've offered my services to help the DNR make a workable set of rules. I had forgotten how much I loathe public speaking...
-Tyger
By a unanimous vote (11-0), proposed ammendment NR 45.04(3)(q) ((Paint balls. No person may use paint balls, paint ball guns or any other type of paint ball equipment on (Wisconsin DNR) department lands.)) was officially removed from the bill in question. There were 11+ other items in the bill, and those will now be up for consideration. The paintball ammendment will now be sent back to the DNR for review, and ammendment, before it returns to comittee for consideration.
Translation : We stopped it.
The quick version of what happened. The hearing started at 1 PM and opened with the possibility of elk hunting on DNR land up north. 2.5 HOURS LATER, they decided to stop talking about elk, bear, and all sorts of other hunting.
The DNR guy said his reasons to ban paintball, and it was PAINFULLY OBVIOUS that the DNR had done little, if any, research into paintball, how it's played, where it's played, and what it's all about. It was also painfully obvious that the DNR rep was ill prepared. The DNR seemed to not have done their homework into paintball. For example, they were convinced that paintball players used oil based paint exclusively, wore body armor to play, and wore "Goggles or helmets". It was actually refreshing to hear legislators and state senators actually in favor of paintball as an activity, even though none of them played the game.
Oh, and when asked directly "Have there been any complaints or problems of paintball use of public land" the DNR rep said "No." It was then asked why laws were being made when there really was no problem to fix. I think it was Dave who said what I think we were all thinking. "How could the DNR propose something like this without even doing basic research?"
More later, but suffice to say we won this battle. If it needs to go to round two, anyone wanna come up to Madison to have a 'chat' with the DNR? I've already had my say, and I've offered my services to help the DNR make a workable set of rules. I had forgotten how much I loathe public speaking...
-Tyger
