House Game & Fisheries Committee reports bill requiring national searches for Game & Fish executive directors

The House Game & Fisheries Committee on Thursday reported House Bill 2554, a measure that would amend Titles 30 and 34 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to require publicly advertised national job searches to fill future vacancies for the executive-director positions at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Representative Haddock, the bill sponsor, told the committee that the measure would ensure broader candidate consideration and improve transparency inside the agencies. "This helps with transparency, and it helps with the culture within these agencies," Haddock said, noting that Pennsylvania issues more than 4,840,000 hunting licenses and over 825,000 fishing licenses each year.

The bill, as introduced, would (1) require the commissions to advertise openings nationally; (2) limit how long an acting executive director may serve (two consecutive 2–3 month periods before appointing a second acting director); and (3) permit acting directors to apply for the permanent post. Committee staff read the bill summary to members before debate began.

Committee members offered and debated several amendments. Amendment A03490, offered by Chair Tara Maloney and described by staff as a plan to enable "nomination, election, and selection of game commissioners and fish and boat commissioners by the sportsman," was defeated on a roll-call vote. Two other proposals — A03496 (establishing five-year terms for commission directors) and A03497 (allowing removal by concurrent legislative resolution) — were discussed and also failed to win approval.

Another amendment, A03535, would have added hunting and trapping to the list of experience required for a Game Commission director; Representative Haddock said he appreciated the intent but identified structural problems in the draft and indicated he would likely oppose it as written. That amendment also failed. Representative Murzke offered amendment A03541, which would remove provisions in the bill requiring confirmation of executive directors by the U.S. Senate; the committee agreed to A03541.

During debate, Chair Tara Maloney raised concerns about a recent appointment at the Pennsylvania Game Commission, saying commissioners appointed Steve Smith following a short virtual meeting and "without having a public vote as required by law," and argued the process lacked public notice and candidate solicitation. Maloney said documents exist showing personnel actions and personnel moves following that appointment. Other members cautioned colleagues to keep remarks focused on the bill and not on personnel matters; the committee chair asked speakers to confine comments to the bill's language.

After amendment votes and further discussion the committee took a final roll call on the bill as amended; the chair announced the bill "passes." The committee adjourned following the vote. The measure will proceed to the next stage in the House under regular order.

What remains unclear from the committee record are precise roll-call tallies by named member for each amendment; the transcript records votes as roll-call responses but does not supply a consolidated, unambiguous vote tally for every amendment in a compact tabulation. The committee agreed-to amendment A03541 and reported the bill as amended for further consideration.