An Act Prohibiting Waterfowl And Bird Hunting In Sections Of The Morris Cove Area Of New Haven.
Summary
HB 6236 is a narrow environmental/public-safety bill that would direct the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to prohibit waterfowl and bird hunting in the Morris Cove area of New Haven. The bill creates a new statutory restriction effective upon passage and applies notwithstanding existing provisions of Title 26 of the Connecticut General Statutes, which governs fish and wildlife and hunting regulations.
The stated purpose of the bill is to improve safety and quality of life for residents in Morris Cove. In practical terms, it would remove hunting activity from specified sections of that neighborhood, likely affecting hunters, local land and shoreline users, and DEEP’s enforcement and regulatory responsibilities in the area. Because the bill is framed as a localized prohibition rather than a statewide hunting change, its legal effect is limited geographically but direct in altering where hunting is allowed.
Impact
The bill would add a new section to state law requiring DEEP to ban waterfowl and bird hunting in the Morris Cove area of New Haven, overriding any conflicting provisions in Title 26. This would create a localized no-hunting zone and give the agency responsibility for implementing and enforcing the restriction. The measure would primarily affect hunters and residents in the targeted area, while leaving broader state hunting laws intact.
Sentiment
The available record suggests generally favorable or at least noncontroversial committee treatment, with the bill advancing as an Environment Committee draft and no recorded yeas or nays on the vote tally sheet. The co-sponsorship by multiple legislators, including members from both chambers and districts, indicates some level of support for the proposal. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded debate in the provided materials.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the balance between resident safety/quality of life and the rights of hunters to access traditional hunting areas. Supporters appear to view the restriction as a targeted public-safety and neighborhood-quality measure for Morris Cove, while opponents, if any, would likely object to limiting lawful hunting opportunities or setting a precedent for localized hunting bans. No specific objections are documented in the provided materials.