byBryan Hendricks| April 2, 2023 at 1:58 a.m.

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A new bill in the Arkansas House of Representatives will make game and fish violations a lot more serious.

Sponsored by representatives Steve Unger of Springdale, Rep. Shad Pearce of Batesville and Sen. Kim Hammer of Benton, House Bill 1808 would upgrade many wildlife code violations to Class D felony status.

The legislature seldom concerns itself with hunting and fishing issues, but Austin Booth, director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said the commission requested the bill.

“For over 18 months, Col. [Brad] Young and I have prioritized major violations, and sportsmen have said loud and clear that they support stiffer penalties for the most hardened violators,” Booth said. “This bill is an opportunity for Arkansans to send a message to those that abuse the resource most severely.”

Brad Young is chief of the Game and Fish…