Game, Inland Fisheries and Boating

Passed

P HB1481

Waterfowl sanctuaries and blinds. The bill repeals an Act of Assembly that established wildlife sanctuary in areas of what was then Princess Anne County and now is Virginia Beach. This local act is no longer needed because Virginia Beach has adopted an ordinance that prevents hunting in these areas. The bill also repeals the authority of Accomack and Northampton Counties to issue duck blind stamps.
Patron - Cox

P HB1491

Use of rifles in King George County. Repeals the law that prohibits an individual from hunting any wild bird or animal in King George County with a rifle capable of shooting any cartridge more powerful than commercially loaded .22 caliber rifle cartridges.
Patron - Pollard

P HB1525

Waterway "pass-through" zones; local ordinances; penalties. Allows localities, after notifying the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, to enact ordinances establishing "pass-through" zones in portions of waterways within their territorial limits where watercraft traffic congestion routinely poses a significant safety risk to persons in the designated area. The ordinance must require watercraft operators to maintain reasonable and safe speeds and must prohibit them from anchoring, loitering or engaging in recreational activities while in such zone. The locality must clearly mark pass-through zones with buoys or other markers, and may provide for enforcement and penalties not exceeding a Class 4 misdemeanor.
Patron - Purkey

P HB1526

Personal watercraft; local ordinances; penalty. Allows the City of Virginia Beach, by population bracket, to enact ordinances establishing minimum distances from the shoreline that personal watercraft may be operated in excess of the slowest possible speed required to maintain steerage and headway. Such distances shall be at 100 feet from the shoreline and 200 feet from swimmers in ocean waters. The bill provides for local enforcement and penalties not to exceed Class 4 misdemeanors.
Patron - Purkey

P HB1663

Nonresident hunting fees. Increases fees for a nonresident statewide hunting license from $60 to $80 and increases three-day nonresident hunting licenses from $30 to $40.
Patron - Pollard

P HB1765

Deer kill permit. Authorizes the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to issue a deer kill permit to landowners whose residential plants have been damaged by deer. The Director may charge a permit fee not to exceed the actual costs.
Patron - Nutter

P HB1874

Voluntary contributions by hunters. Directs the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to allow persons, when they purchase hunting licenses and permits, to voluntarily contribute two dollars to Hunters For The Hungry. This bill is identical SB 808.
Patron - Thomas

P HB2113

Authorization to kill deer or bear. Prohibits a person who has been convicted of violating any hunting or trapping law or regulation from being designated as a shooter authorized to kill deer or bear found damaging fruit trees, crops, livestock, or personal property or creating a hazard to aircraft or motor vehicles. The Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries shall impose this restriction for at least two and up to five years after the applicant's most recent conviction, depending upon the nature and severity of recent and past violations. No person shall be authorized as the shooter during a period of license suspension or revocation. Currently, any person found guilty of violating any provision of Title 29.1, Game, Inland Fisheries and Boating, is forever prohibited from being an authorized shooter.
Patron - Barlow

P HB2157

Damage stamp program. Allows property owners to collect funds from the Damage Stamp Program to compensate them for damage to their crops, fruit trees, commercially grown Christmas trees, nursery stock, livestock, or farm equipment caused by elk. Currently, funds are made available to property owners whose land has been damaged by either deer or bear. The bill reduces the percentage of damage stamp funds that a local government can expend for firefighting and volunteer rescue squad operations from 50 to 25 percent.
Patron - Phillips

P HB2419

Lifetime trapping license. Establishes a special lifetime trapping license for residents age 65 or over. The fee for the license is $10.
Patron - Nixon

P HB2752

Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species Act. Creates the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species Act within the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. This bill declares the zebra mussel, the quagga mussel, and northern snakehead fish as nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species. This bill authorizes the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to declare other nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species if it finds that the presence of such nonindigenous aquatic species in state waters poses or is likely to pose a significant threat of harm. This bill makes it illegal to knowingly import, possess, transport, sell, purchase, give, receive, or introduce into state waters, any nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species without a permit from the Director. Permits may be issued for research by recognized academic institutions or government agencies upon receiving satisfactory assurance that adequate safeguards will be maintained to prevent the escape or introduction of any such species into state waters. Any person who violates this Article or who knowingly obstructs the Director in carrying out his duties, shall (i) be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $25,000, and (ii) be liable for the costs of investigation, control, and eradication incurred by any state agency or local government of the Commonwealth as a result of such unlawful conduct. This bill contains an emergency clause and incorporates HB 2814.
Patron - Plum

P SB726

Sale of hunting and fishing licenses. Relieves a clerk of a circuit court from the responsibility of selling hunting and fishing licenses if the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries has designated an agent to sell hunting and fishing licenses in the county or city in which the clerk is located. Currently, it is within the discretion of the Board whether to relieve the clerk from the responsibility of selling such licenses.
Patron - Deeds

P SB808

Failed

F HB1660

Personal flotation devices required for children; civil penalty. Requires all children under the age of seven to wear a Type I, II, III, or Type V U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device on recreational vehicles under 21 feet in length. The Director of Game and Inland Fisheries shall assess any recreational vessel operator who violates or permits the violation of this provision a civil penalty of up to $250. All penalties collected are to be paid to the Motorboat and Water Safety Fund of the Game Protection Fund. The bill does not apply to a recreational vessel that is moored or anchored, or to children below deck or in an enclosed cabin. The bill defines "recreational vessel" as a vessel manufactured or operated for leisure or recreational purposes, or a vessel leased, rented or chartered for noncommercial use. "Recreational vessel" includes motorboats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and any other vessel capable of being used for transportation on water, when the vessel is being used for other than commercial purposes.
Patron - Wardrup

F HB1901

F HB1996

Recreational boat freshwater fishing license. Establishes a recreational boat freshwater fishing license. Any Virginia resident owner or operator of a recreational boat used for inland waters recreational fishing may purchase this license, which covers himself and his resident passengers while fishing from such boat, in lieu of the other fishing license requirements. The license costs $50 a year per boat. If the owner or operator of the boat does not purchase this license, then individuals on the boat are required to purchase a fishing license as otherwise required by law. A recreational boat freshwater fishing license does not apply to designated waters stocked with trout, in waters where the Department imposes a daily fishing fee, or to nonresidents.
Patron - Ware

F HB2103

Privilege to hunt or trap. Adds suspension or revocation of hunting or trapping privileges to all sections of the Code where hunting or trapping licenses may be suspended or revoked by the court or by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The purpose of this bill is to remove the existing "loophole" that allows people to hunt or trap on land they own, even if their hunting or trapping licenses have been suspended or revoked for violations of law.
Patron - Hogan

F HB2814

Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species Act. Creates the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species Act within the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. This bill declares the zebra mussel and northern snakehead fish as nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species. This bill authorizes the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to declare other nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species if it finds that the presence of such nonindigenous aquatic species in state waters poses or is likely to pose a significant threat of harm. This bill makes it illegal to knowingly import, possess, transport, sell, purchase, give, receive, or introduce into state waters, any nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species without a permit from the Director. Permits may be issued for research by recognized academic institutions or government agencies upon receiving satisfactory assurance that adequate safeguards will be maintained to prevent the escape or introduction of any such species into state waters. Any person who violates this Article or who knowingly obstructs the Director in carrying out his duties, shall (i) be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $25,000, and (ii) be liable for the costs of investigation, control, and eradication incurred by any state agency or local government of the Commonwealth as a result of such unlawful conduct. This bill is incorporated into HB 2752.
Patron - Scott

F SB760

Personal watercraft education course. Requires all owners or operators of personal watercraft to successfully complete a boating safety education course approved by the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries or an equivalent course in another state or country. Currently this is only required of operators 14 or 15 years old, and of all persons renting personal watercraft to others.
Patron - Wampler

F SB1120

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General Assembly>Division of Legislative Services>Publications>Session Summaries>2003>Game, Inland Fisheries and Boating

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