UPDATE 5/31/2026: At least 6 Michigan State Representatives have removed their sponsorship from HB 5801 and 5802. Your actions are having an impact! Thank you! There was discussion at the May 20 House Committee, but the bills remain in committee, which is good so far.
Here are the proposed minutes from that meeting (as long as the link works) – there was a lot of testimony including my written comments, only 2 anglers were allowed time to speak, though MDNR Fisheries Chief Randy Claramunt and DNR Chris Semrinec also spoke against: https://house.mi.gov/Document/?DocumentId=68653&DocumentType=CommitteeMeetingMinutes
If you wish to watch a recording of the May 20, 2026 House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee: https://www.house.mi.gov/VideoPlayer?data=https://youtube.com/live/RKQKYzYee_0?feature=share
— Original Article Below —
I’m disappointed to see now that House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee Chair Representative David Martin has added those very bad commercial fishing bills HB 5801 and 5802 to an upcoming committee hearing on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at noon. I was hoping he would let these bills die the death they deserve. The committee meeting is in Room 519, House Office Building.
Now would be a great time to contact the members of the Natural Resources and Tourism Committee, especially if any of the people on the committee are your own state reps. Contact the chair Rep. David Martin – Republican District 68 and members of the House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee: Alicia St. Germaine (Republican) District-62 Majority Vice Chair, Rep. Mike McFall (Democrat) District-14 Minority Vice Chair.
Members:
Rep. Curtis VanderWall (Republican) District-102
Rep. Pat Outman (Republican) District-91
Rep. Mike Hoadley (Republican) District-99
Rep. Gina Johnsen (Republican) District-78
Rep. Dave Prestin (Republican) District-108
Rep. Karl Bohnak (Republican) District-109
Rep. Parker Fairbairn (Republican) District-107
Rep. Jennifer Wortz (Republican) District-35
Rep. Helena Scott (Democrat) District-8
Rep. Regina Weiss (Democrat) District-5
Rep. Noah Arbit (Democrat) District-20
Rep. Morgan Foreman (Democrat) District-33
Rep. Tonya Myers Phillips (Democrat) District-7
Rep. Stephen Wooden (Democrat) District-81
Let them know you oppose these bills as an attempt of a few to profit off the many as commercial fishers have not paid anything towards the walleye and perch they want to target. You and I paid for the management and stocking of these fishing, not commercial fishers. Let alone how many errors there are in the bills that cause confusion and may even mislead people as to what is and isn’t legal.
I’ve linked their email addresses above. You can get their phone number from this page: https://www.house.mi.gov/AllRepresentatives
Thank you for being part of the solution!
