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Game, Inland Fisheries and Boating

Passed

P SB60

Blaze orange hat. Allows hunters to wear blaze orange hats that have a brim or bill that is not solid blaze orange in color or design. Currently, during any firearm deer season, except the muzzleloading rifle season, every hunter or a person accompanying a hunter is required to (i) wear a solid blaze orange hat, (ii) wear blaze orange upper body clothing that is visible from 360 degrees, or (iii) display at least 100 square inches of solid blaze orange material at shoulder level within body reach visible from 360 degrees.
Patron - Watkins

P SB74

Special lifetime trout fishing license. Provides for special lifetime trout fishing licenses applicable to specially stocked trout waters as designated by the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries. Such licenses are in lieu of any other annual trout license fees, but are in addition to the requirements for a standard seasonal or special lifetime fishing license, and any daily use fees for specially stocked trout waters as provided for in the Code.
Patron - Colgan

P SB341

Definitions of types of hunting weapons. Defines the various types of weapons used in hunting, including muzzleloading rifle and pistol, pistol, rifle, shotgun and firearm. Most of the definitions are taken from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms federal regulations.
Patron - Ruff

P SB577

Deer kill permits. Allows the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to limit or prohibit the use of a deer kill permit between 11:00 p.m. and one-half hour before sunrise when the shooting of deer or bear would be in proximity to residential areas or under other circumstances.
Patron - Marye

P SB581

Automated point-of-sale licensing. Provides that when the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' automated point-of-sale system for selling hunting licenses is implemented, the big game license will be valid from July 1 of each year or the later date of purchase to June 30 of the following year. Other hunting and trapping licenses and permits will be valid for one year from their date of purchase.
Patron - Blevins

Failed

F HB138

Firearms in turkey season. Prohibits the use of firearms other than sidelock muzzle-loading rifles with iron or open sites or shotguns during spring turkey season.
Patron - Abbitt

F HB850

Hunting of elk. Authorizes a county or city to prohibit the hunting of elk within its boundaries. If such a prohibition is enacted through an ordinance the locality is required to notify the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries that such an ordinance has been adopted. The locality may impose a penalty of a Class 1 misdemeanor for a violation of the ordinance.
Patron - Stump

F HB1241

Sunday hunting. Limits the Sunday hunting prohibition to areas east of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Patron - Phillips

Carried Over

C HB201

Waterfowl sanctuaries and blinds. Repeals a number of local Acts of Assembly that provide for the establishment of waterfowl sanctuaries in various localities. Several of the local acts are duplicative of what appears in current state statutes. Among the provisions repealed by this bill are the prohibition on hunting from floating blinds in the Counties of Caroline, King George, Essex, Westmoreland and Richmond, and in several segments of the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers. The bill also repeals a local Act of Assembly that establishes wildlife sanctuaries in areas of what is now Virginia Beach. This local act is no longer needed because Virginia Beach has adopted an ordinance that prevents hunting in these areas.
Patron - Cox

C HB202

Hunting of waterfowl from duck blinds. Clarifies the definitions of stationary and floating blinds and the procedures for their placement of blinds. The bill eliminates the practice of setting up "dummy blinds" in order to reserve certain locations from use by other waterfowl hunters. The fee for a floating blind is reduced from $35 to $17.50, resulting in the same license fee being charged whether a person hunts from a stationary or floating blind. The bill also requires licensing agents to record the location of the blind site on a map and make such a record available to the public. Finally, the bill clarifies that a stationary blind has to be fully constructed by November 1.
Patron - Cox

C SB47

Personal flotation devices; children 12 and under. Makes it unlawful for a person operating a motorboat, other than a vessel required to have a certificate of inspection issued by the United States Coast Guard (U.S.C.G.), to permit a person 12 years of age or younger to be in the motorboat while it is underway if such minor is not wearing a personal flotation device approved by the U.S.C.G. and such minor is not below deck or not in an enclosed cabin.
Patron - Lucas

C SB488

Killing of bears in barns or stables. Allows for a property owner to kill or attempt to kill a bear found in a barn, stable or other building owned by him and housing livestock if upon encountering the bear (i) according to the best knowledge and belief of the property owner, the bear has entered the premises under its own power, without being transported, lured, drugged or coerced in any way, and (ii) the risk of serious injury or death to any livestock or persons can reasonably be perceived as highly likely or imminent.
Patron - Newman

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