Committee approves amendment requiring free paper tag option as House bill would let Game Commission modernize tagging

House Bill 2363 would amend Title 34 (Game) to permit the Pennsylvania Game Commission to prescribe tagging and reporting requirements by regulation rather than leaving detailed formats in statute.

Representative Mursky, the bill sponsor, said the measure is intended to modernize an otherwise paper-based tagging and reporting system, improve data quality and reduce administrative burdens. He emphasized the bill would not change seasons or bag limits and described modernization as aligning with practices in other states.

Chair Maloney raised practical concerns about moving to electronic-only tags: he said paper tags serve as immediate, visible proof of legal harvest in the field, matter to taxidermists and processors, and can be kept as a “trophy” record. In response, Chair Maloney offered amendment A02874, which Griffin read: if a virtual or digital tagging option is made available, a physical tagging option must also be possible free of charge to the sportsman.

Representative Mursky and other supporters said the Game Commission would retain a paper trail and pointed to other states’ experience implementing electronic reporting without major problems. The committee voted by voice to adopt the amendment; no negative votes were recorded and the amendment was agreed to. The committee then voted to report HB2363 as amended.

The committee did not change seasons, bag limits or hunting responsibilities; the amendment preserves a no-cost physical-tag option where digital tagging is available. The measure now moves to the next stage as a bill reported from committee.