This fall’s latest fashion trend isn’t limited to street clothing as hunters have the option to sport pink hunting vests in Mississippi woodlands in lieu of traditional orange safety gear.
The new law came about via bipartisan House Bill 526 sponsored by Republican Randy Rushing of Decatur and Democrat Jeffrey Hulum of Gulfport. It was presented on the House Floor by first-year legislator Jimmy Fondren of Jackson County. Freshmen members of the Mississippi House of Representatives are given bills to present at the podium, or the “well,” as a way of introducing them to the legislative process. Fondren donned a pink vest when he presented the bill to fellow representatives in February.
“Your first time at the well can make you a little nervous, but the other members do a good job of keeping it light-hearted,” Fondren said. “I didn’t know I would be wearing a pink vest until I got up there, and the chairman handed it to me. Everybody cheered and laughed.”
Fondren is an avid hunter and grew up hunting in Greene County with his father and family members; nowadays they hunt in Alabama. His younger sister, Laura Grace, is also a hunter. Fondren said he isn’t sure if she has bought a pink vest yet, “but she has a birthday coming up, and I think that would be a great gift for her.” Fondren serves as vice-chairman of the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee, which is the committee that first heard the bill.
The new law states such vests must show 500 square inches of “unbroken fluorescent pink.” Rushing first introduced the bill three years ago, but finally gained support for passing it this year. The House approved the new pink option right after Fondren’s presentation on Feb. 13. It passed with 110 votes in favor with four dissenting, four abstaining or absent, and four responding only as present. The bill passed the Senate unanimously on March 12. Gov. Tate Reeves approved it March 19. It went into effect July 1 as all new laws do.
One of Rushing’s constituents first suggested the idea to allow pink vests. “And ironically it was a male,” Rushing said. “It didn’t get out of committee when it was first introduced. I think it just took a while to get steam and momentum.”
Both Fondren and Rushing said the new law is intended to encourage female hunters and sportsmen. “It’s really a good bill as it gives clothing apparel companies some flexibility,” Fondren said.
“Sports gear retailers now have another product to offer which will generate more business and therefore generate more sales tax revenue, which is good for our state,” Rushing said.
So, this hunting season Mississippi is the latest state to allow hunters a color choice in safety vests. In 2016, Wisconsin became the first state to allow both pink and orange and was followed by Colorado, Louisiana, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.
