Dove Voting Passes Senate (ROLL CALL),Granholm likely vetoes

[Dan]

Senate approves bill allowing hunters to shoot mourning doves

By TIM MARTIN
The Associated Press
3/31/2004, 2:46 p.m. ET


LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A bill that would allow hunters to shoot mourning doves in Michigan passed the state Senate on Wednesday, but it faces a possible veto from Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

The bill would add the mourning dove to the state's game list, ending a hunting ban that began in Michigan nearly a century ago.

The Senate, without discussion, passed the bill, 22-15. A similar version has passed the House. The bill must return to the House to consider Senate changes.

Granholm has said she would sign a bill for a mourning dove hunt only if it allowed state voters to decide the issue.

"The governor can't support it and won't support it unless it includes a referendum allowing it to go to voters," Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said Tuesday after the Senate vote.

At least 39 other states allow mourning dove hunts, including Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio. Supporters say a Michigan season would keep hunters in-state and possibly boost the economy.

Opponents say the doves are songbirds that should be protected.

(snip)

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1080762259107020.xml

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I'll post the roll call votes when I find them out.

[Dan]

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1080773045189510.xml

Roll Call

NOT VOTING - Laura Toy(R)

Democrats voting NO - Virgil Bernero, Liz Brater, Irma Clark-Coleman, Hansen Clarke, Robert Emerson, Gilda Jacobs, Burton Leland, Dennis Olshove, Mark Schauer(Might be running for 7th district Congress), Martha Scott, Michael Switalski.

Republicans voting NO - Bill Hardiman, Ron Jelinek(He's usually good), Shirley Johnson(RINO), Gerald Van Woerkom(He's usually good too)

Republicans voting YES - Jason Allen, Patricia Birkholz, Mike Bishop, Cameron Brown(Switched his vote from 2000), Nancy Cassis, Alan Cropsey, Valde Garcia(Thank you Valde), Tom George, Jud Gilbert, Mike Goschka, Beverly Hammerstrom, Wayne Kuipers, Michelle McManus, Bruce Patterson, Alan Sanborn, Ken Sikkema, Tony Stamus(Switched his vote from 2000).

Democrats voting AYE - Jim Barcia, Raymond Basham, Deborah Cherry(surprise - switched her 2000 vote), Michael Prusi, Buzz Thomas(BIG surprise since he cosponsored an anti-gun bill in 2000)

[alex-vitek]

The governor might just neglect to sign the bill and it would automatically become law after a set number of days. This still leaves room for the anti gun and anti hunter crowd to get together for a referendum ballot issue.

It might become to much of a hot potatoe if she were to outright veto it in a national election year. By not signing it she washes her hands of the issue and leaves it up to the masses.