Bill Would Add Pink As Safety Color For Maryland Hunters
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Legislators are pushing for pink hunting gear in Maryland.
Senate Bill 341 would add bright pink as an authorized hunter safety color along with the current color bright orange.
This bill passed through the state Senate Thursday.
If this bill becomes a law, Maryland would become the lucky number seven to add daylight fluorescent pink to the hunting outerwear requirement.
It's an idea that came from two young sisters on the Eastern Shore after they completed a hunting safety course.
"He had said in Maryland, you are only allowed to wear fluorescent orange, and he had mentioned other states made it a law you can wear pink, so my sister and I thought it would be so cool if we could do this," said Paige Simonsen.
Sisters Paige & Brooke Simonsen are pushing for a new law in #Maryland to add blaze #pink as a safety color for hunters. @cbsbaltimore #WJZ pic.twitter.com/athWwQlYUc
— Tracey Leong (@TraceyLeong) February 15, 2018
The Simonsen sisters immediately started researching studies out of Europe and Wisconsin that showed daylight fluorescent pink, also known as blaze pink, was a safer choice than the traditional orange for hunting.
"Bright orange leaves can blend in with your fluorescent orange, but blaze pink is so unnatural that it is seen easier," Brooke Simonsen said.
The sisters then reached out to state Senator Addie Eckardt.
"They were just spouting it off," Eckardt said. "Bing, bing, x number of states have it, didn't work here, and all of the data and research."
In addition to pink being Eckardt's favorite color, she was also impressed by the girl's knowledge of the subject, prompting her to sponsor the bill.
"Folks liked the idea it came from young people engaged in the process, and I think that sold the bill as much as anything," Eckardt said.
Senate Bill 341, adding daylight fluorescent pink to hunting outerwear, passed unanimously in the Senate.
"Very exciting experience for me, but I'm also full of curiosity because I don't know what's going to happen next, so it's one surprise after another," Paige Simonsen said.
These two young sisters looking forward to the next step in their effort to create new safety legislation.
This bill now moves onto the House, where the two young girls will testify Friday, Feb. 23.
If this bill passes the House, it then heads to the governor's desk for a final decision.
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