Committee revives and advances bill to support bow hunters with disabilities; SB 238 moves to the floor

Senate Fish and Game took Senate Bill 238 from the table and considered language establishing an optional donation on certain hunting licenses to support “Supporting Bow Hunters with Disabilities” projects. Committee staff summarized SB 238 as creating a donation check‑off and an associated account to fund efforts that facilitate participation by hunters with disabilities; the staff noted that the motion to pull the bill was non‑debatable but the merits were discussed once the bill was formally before the committee.

Members broadly supported the bill’s purpose but questioned details. One senator emphasized that the bill “doesn’t mandate anything. It gives them the option,” framing donations as voluntary community support for customized equipment that can be costly. Other members asked how many donors the check‑off would attract and whether charities could instead receive direct donations with less bureaucracy. Lawmakers also clarified this bill concerns regular bows modified for accessibility rather than crossbows.

The committee voted on procedural and substantive motions to take the bill off the table and then on a do‑pass motion; the rolls recorded majorities in favor and committee reported SB 238 as passed out of committee to the floor. Sponsor and proponents said it provides an option to raise funds to support adaptive equipment and access, while opponents urged caution about administrative overhead and encouraged direct fundraising in some cases.

Next steps: SB 238 was reported to the floor by the committee; the record includes discussion of donor expectations, fiscal assumptions and the committee’s view that the bill is intended to be voluntary and complementary to existing charity efforts.