Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight
PIERRE — A committee of lawmakers endorsed a bill Tuesday that would add blaze pink as a legally recognized hunter safety color.
The South Dakota House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee approved the bill in an 11-1 vote. It goes to the House of Representatives next.
Sponsored by Rep. Jessica Bahmuller, R-Alexandria, the legislation aims to provide hunters with an alternative to the traditional blaze orange. She said several fellow lawmakers have asked why she brought the bill forward.
“The answer is very simple: It’s safety,” Bahmuller said. “Blaze pink is not a color that occurs naturally in nature.”
In South Dakota, hunters must wear orange to increase their visibility to other hunters, thereby reducing the risk of hunting accidents. Game licensees (excluding turkey, mountain lion and duck) who hunt with a firearm must wear the color.
George Vandel with the South Dakota Wildlife Federation supported the bill, saying the group hopes the effort will encourage more people, particularly women, to participate in hunting.
The bill’s lone no vote came from Rep. Randy Gross, R-Elkton, who said, “I’ll be voting no because I think there is value in consistency,” referring to the current standard that all hunters wear orange.