Montana Gov. vetoes hunting safety bill
On Monday, Governor Steve Bullock of Montana vetoed a bill that would eliminate criminal penalties for hunters seeking to protect their hearing through the use of firearm silencers. The American Silencer Association reports: “HB 205 was vetoed by Governor Bullock late Monday afternoon. Despite this setback, the ASA will revisit the issue in Montana during the next legislative session. We would like to thank everyone for their time and support throughout our efforts. Without your help, we would not have come this far.”In his veto message, Governor Bullock stated that “I do not see the need for suppressed weapons for hunting…. Hunting with suppressed weapons adds nothing positive to the hunt.” If he is interested in learning about what a silencer adds to a hunt, perhaps the governor could speak with audiologists who have worked with patients suffering hearing loss from exposure to unsuppressed gunshots without hearing protection.