Mar 20thResident Outfitter vs. Non-Resident Outfitter Lawsuit

If you guys have been tracking things it looks like there is a lawsuit challenging the Resident Outfitter Quota.  Basically what Non-Resident Outfitters are saying is that this new law is keeping them from doing business in NM.  I want to stress that Resident Outfitters wouldn’t come to the table until this provision was include into what was then SB196.

This lawsuit has NOTHING to do with the Resident vs. Non-Residents quotas.  We have precedent that supports quotas.

From my point of view,I have never been in favor of the OF subsidies but I don’t think the new law excludes Non-Resident Outfitters from doing business in NM.  It just doesn’t provide them preferential treatment with the Resident Outfitter Subsidies.  They can guide in NM as long as their clients have tags. These tags can be LO tags,Auction, Raffle or Draw tags.

The thing that we need to drive home is:

• This is just one more reason to get rid of the Outfitter Subsidies
• We need to go to a straight draw
• We need to make sure that the judge just doesn’t toss everything and go to a non-quota system
• Right now the Department has hired it’s own lawyers and is fighting the lawsuit.

At this time we are in a wait and see place until the ruling on the injunction happens on March 21st, 2012.

Jason