For those of you who think all politicians are the same, this article should change your opinion. In the 2001 legislative session, HUNTER’S ALERT sponsored Assembly Bill 494. This bill would have given NDOW a boss, something they didn’t have under the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. There were many other benefits for sportsmen in this bill as well. Any legislative wildlife bill that originates in the Assembly must go to the Natural Resources Committee.

Marcia de Braga chaired this committee and she refused to hear the bill. In doing so, she ignored the many sportsmen she is supposed to represent in her counties. The above named counties were responsible for putting Marcia de Braga back into the private sector. Pete Goicoechea received 1380 votes to de Braga’s 688 votes in Humboldt County. In Lander, he had 706 votes to the 414 for de Braga. Eureka County had 516 votes for him and 201 for de Braga.

With Marcia de Braga’s loss, a new committee chairperson, Tom Collins moved to the post. The same bill was proposed in the 2003 session and with the help of Tom Collins, Jerry Claborn, Pete Goicochea and others, the bill was passed. The bill stood on its own merit and was signed into law. Had Marcia de Braga still chaired the committee, the bill would never have been heard yet again, thus proving not all politicians are the same.