Indiana voters have approved a constitutional amendment to protect the right to hunt and fish.
The amendment states that the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife shall be forever preserved for the public good, subject only to laws prescribed by the General Assembly. Hunting and fishing are popular in Indiana. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates Indiana has about 392,000 hunters and about 801,000 anglers.
The amendment’s author, Republican Sen. Brent Steele, says he wants to ensure those rights are not endangered by animal rights groups. The measure was backed by the National Rifle Association.
The Humane Society of the United States said the amendment was unnecessary because those rights weren’t under attack.
Indiana joins 19 other states that had previously adopted constitutional amendments to protect those rights.
