Game, Inland Fisheries and Boating

Passed

P HB 1627

Mandatory boating safety education; civil penalty. Makes it $100 civil penalty for anyone to operate a motorboat with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater without having successfully completed an approved boating safety education course. The education requirement is phased-in so that by July 1, 2016, all motorboat operators will have been required to complete and pass the course or an equivalency exam. The Board is directed to develop and administer the boating safety education program through the promulgation of regulations, taking into account comments from the public. There are a number of ways a person can comply with the law other than successfully completing an approved course, such as passing an equivalency examination, possessing a valid license issued to maritime personnel, being registered as a commercial fisherman, etc. This bill is identical to SB 1241.
Patron - Byron

P HB 1867

Game wardens. Replaces the term "game warden" with "conservation police officer" throughout the Code of Virginia.
Patron - Wittman

P HB 1981

Hunting fees for nonresidents. Authorizes the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to increase or decrease the hunting license fees for nonresidents up to $50 every three years.
Patron - Lohr

P HB 2019

Waterfowl blind licenses. Allows for the electronic transmission of applications for waterfowl blind licenses directly to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Patron - Shuler

P HB 2020

National Forest Stamp. Changes the term of the National Forest Stamp from January 1 to December 31 to one year from the date of purchase. This change is necessary with the implementation of the automated point-of-sale licensing system in which all licenses are now valid for one year from their date of purchase.
Patron - Shuler

P HB 2021

Crossbow license. Adds the crossbow license to those licenses that are covered by the two combination licenses: the youth resident and nonresident combination hunting license and the sportsman's hunting and fishing license.
Patron - Shuler

P HB 2031

Regulation of parasail operations. Requires the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to promulgate regulations applicable to the commercial operations of parasail operators on waters of the Commonwealth.
Patron - Cosgrove

P HB 2308

Model firearms hunting ordinances. Requires the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to develop, through regulations, model ordinances for hunting with firearms. The ordinances developed by the Board are to address such items as the caliber of the firearm, the type of firearm, and the type of ammunition. A county or city may adopt any of the model ordinances developed by the Board.
Patron - Lingamfelter

P HB 2309

Use of shotguns. Authorizes the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to change the shotgun shell capacity through regulations. This bill also conforms the hours a person can hunt with a pistol, muzzle-loading pistol or revolver to the hours allowed to hunt with other weapons.
Patron - Lingamfelter

P HB 2313

Duck stamp. Changes the term of the Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp to the fiscal year (July 1-June 30).
Patron - Lingamfelter

P HB 2695

Liability for owners of low-head dams. Provides that owners of low-head dams who use signs and buoys to warn the public of the hazards of swimming, fishing, and boating activities near low-head dams will have met the duty of care for warning the public of hazards posed by the dam.
Patron - Cline

P SB 882

Loss of hunting lands. Establishes a policy that there will be no net loss of public lands on which hunting occurs.
Patron - Deeds

P SB 1241

P SB 1314

Boating under the influence. Makes the blood or breath testing protocol for boating under the influence (BUI) consistent with that used for driving under the influence (DUI).
Patron - Reynolds

Failed

F HB 1639

Hunting on Sundays. Allows hunting on Sunday from noon to one-half hour after sunset.
Patron - Marshall, D.W.

F HB 2018

Hunting license fees. Grants the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries the authority to revise nonresident license fees by as much as $100 and the lifetime hunting and fishing license fees by as much as $50.
Patron - Shuler

F HB 2250

Exemption from licensing. Exempts the siblings of a landowner from having to obtain any hunting, fishing or trapping license when engaging in these activities within the boundaries of their brother's or sister's property.
Patron - Hogan

F HB 2303

Hunting on Sundays. Allows landowners to hunt on their own property on Sundays. Also allows persons who have the written permission of the landowner to hunt on the landowner's property on Sundays.
Patron - Cole

F HB 2373

Speed limits on certain lakes. Establishes a maximum speed limit of 35 miles per hour on Smith Mountain Lake between sunset and sunrise. Anyone who exceeds this limit is subject to a fine of up to $250.
Patron - Dudley

F HB 2374

Mandatory boating safety education; penalty. Makes it a Class 4 misdemeanor for anyone to operate a motorboat without having successfully completed an approved boating safety education course. The education requirement is phased-in so that by July 1, 2016, all motorboat operators will have been required to complete and pass the course or an equivalency exam. The Board is directed to develop and administer the mandatory boating safety education program through the promulgation of regulations, taking into account comments from the public. There are a number of ways a person can comply with the law other than successfully completing an approved course, such as passing an equivalency examination and possessing a valid license issued to maritime personnel.
Patron - Dudley

F HB 3169

Special lifetime hunting and fishing license. Allows resident veterans who have a service-connected disability to purchase a lifetime hunting and fishing license for $5. Currently, this license is available to veterans who have a permanent and total service-connected disability.
Patron - Barlow

F SB 950

Muzzle-loading rifle ordinances. Removes the authority of localities to adopt ordinances that permit the use of muzzle-loading rifles during prescribed open seasons.
Patron - Quayle

F SB 1076

Exemptions for disabled persons. Authorizes the Department of Forestry and the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to adopt regulations that allow disabled persons increased access to hunting, fishing, and trapping opportunities.
Patron - Ruff

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General Assembly>Division of Legislative Services>Publications>Session Summaries>2007>Game, Inland Fisheries and Boating

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