According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the bill would fully repeal Pennsylvania’s Sunday hunting ban. The bill passed in the State House by a vote of 131-72, and now moves to the State Senate for consideration.

The Game Commission says it supports ending the Sunday hunting ban. The bill would allow the Game Commission to include Sundays when establishing annual hunting seasons.

Currently, according to the Game Commission’s website, it is unlawful to hunt on Sundays except for foxes, crows, and coyotes. Individual small and large game have certain seasons that may allow for specific Sunday hunting days.

Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith expressed the agency’s support for the proposal following the bill’s passage.

“Though hunters play an active role in helping to manage wildlife populations, through the purchase of their licenses and other revenue they generate, they also fund wildlife conservation at a larger scale, for all species,” Smith said. “For those reasons and others, it’s important to keep hunters engaged and providing the valuable service they do. These bills would help accomplish that. One of the biggest reasons hunters stop hunting is a lack of time. While no one can add hours to the day or days to the week, removing the prohibition on Sunday hunting holds the potential to add significantly more time to the hunting calendar and keep hunters hunting. On behalf of the Game Commission and hunters all across the Commonwealth, I sincerely thank Representative Steele for introducing this legislation, Chairwoman Anita Kulik for her leadership in guiding it through the House Game and Fisheries Committee, and all the members who supported this important initiative.”