NYS Senate Bill S6401A

[Deleted Account]

I wanted to make you all aware of a NYS Senate Bill that if passed would have a dramatic positive impact on youth shooting sports. As some of you know, I work for 4-H Youth Development, and am heavily involved in the 4-H Shooting Sports program. This bill, if passed would make it much easier for our trained adult instructors to work with youth in 4-H Shooting Sports. As it stands, all of our instructors, despite having to go through a thorough certification process, mush have a secondary certification to instruct youth in Shooting Sports. These secondary certifications include, but are not limited to: NRA Instructor Certification, Military Small Arms, DEC Certification, etc. 

Senate Bill S6401A would allow 4-H Adult Instructors to instruct and supervise a youth shooting sports program without a secondary certification. This would have a huge impact on our 4-H Shooting Sports program, and open the door to more capable and competent instructors to host new and existing youth shootings sports programming.

If you have a few extra minutes and support this legislation, if you could send a quick email or make a phone call to your representatives to support this bill, I would really appreciate it. Thanks everyone!

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s6401/amendment/a

[grampy]

I support anything that will get more young people into the shooting sports! And will support this bill. But I also feel that any instructor should be well qualified. 

Is the 4H certification similar to the NYSDEC Hunter Education Instructor Certification? It took me well over a year, to complete my certification, and vetting process. There was a lot do do!! Much of it designed to work with youths. And to keeping them safe during classes. 

From what I learned from long time instructors, the process is much more stringent now than it used to be. I guess in some ways rightly so. But in other ways, they never have enough instructors to go around. As not many younger volunteers are willing to go through the process, to replace the older instructor's who are leaving. And classes fill up very quickly. Making people have to travel farther and farther to attend the classes.

I will look more into the 4H shooting sports program. Perhaps I could help out there too?

[Deleted Account]

2 hours ago, grampy said:

I support anything that will get more young people into the shooting sports! And will support this bill. But I also feel that any instructor should be well qualified. 

Is the 4H certification similar to the NYSDEC Hunter Education Instructor Certification? It took me well over a year, to complete my certification, and vetting process. There was a lot do do!! Much of it designed to work with youths. And to keeping them safe during classes. 

From what I learned from long time instructors, the process is much more stringent now than it used to be. I guess in some ways rightly so. But in other ways, they never have enough instructors to go around. As not many younger volunteers are willing to go through the process, to replace the older instructor's who are leaving. And classes fill up very quickly. Making people have to travel farther and farther to attend the classes.

I will look more into the 4H shooting sports program. Perhaps I could help out there too?

Thanks Grampy!

Our Instructor Training isn't as intense as the DEC Instructor certification, but mainly because we do split it up by discipline. If you were to get certified in all the disciplines, you would need to attend 6 trainings. Each instructor must attend training based around a specific discipline (rifle/air rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, archery, air pistol, hunting/wildlife) as well as training on Positive Youth Development. Obviously our program is centered around shooting sports safety and positive youth development. Once you are certified in a discipline, you can lead a training with an assistant instructor from any other discipline. Additionally, you can assist other instructors who are doing training in disciplines other than what you are certified, if that makes sense.  

We hold a weekend long training up here in Ballston Spa every February, and there are others scattered about the state throughout the year. If you are interested in becoming an instructor, I would encourage you to contact your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office, which if you're in Altamont would be Albany County. Their number is (518) 765-3500, and you'll want to talk to Barb Stevens. I work with Saratoga County, so if Albany County doesn't have an opportunity, hit me up and I'll find a home for you  Thanks again!

[grampy]

Thanks for the info, and it does make sense. I'll definitely check into it.