Virginia HB 2470: Hunting/fishing licenses; reimbursement to Dept. for lost revenue resulting from license exemptions.

Bill Text

2023SESSION
LEGISLATIONNOTPREPAREDBYDLS
INTRODUCED
23105043D
1 HOUSEBILLNO.2470
2 OfferedJanuary20,2023
3 A BILL to amend and reenact Section 29.1-301 of the Code of Virginia, relating to hunting and fishing
4 licenses.
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Patron––Edmunds
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7 ReferredtoCommitteeonAgriculture,ChesapeakeandNaturalResources
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9 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
10 1. That Section29.1-301 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
11 Section 29.1-301. Exemptions from license requirements.
12 A. No license shall be required of landowners, their spouses, their children and grandchildren and the
13 spouses of such children and grandchildren, or the landowner's parents, resident or nonresident, to hunt,
14 trap and fish within the boundaries of their own lands and inland waters or while within such
15 boundaries or upon any private permanent extension therefrom, to fish in any abutting public waters.
16 B. No license shall be required of any stockholder owning 50 percent or more of the stock of any
17 domestic corporation owning land in this Commonwealth, his or her spouse and children and minor
18 grandchildren, resident or nonresident, to hunt, trap and fish within the boundaries of lands and inland
19 waters owned by the domestic corporation.
20 C. No license shall be required of bona fide tenants, renters or lessees to hunt, trap or fish within the
21 boundaries of the lands or waters on which they reside or while within such boundaries or upon any
22 private permanent extension therefrom, to fish in any abutting public waters if such individuals have the
23 written consent of the landlord upon their person. A guest of the owner of a private fish pond shall not
24 be required to have a fishing license to fish in such pond.
25 D. No license shall be required of resident or nonresident persons under 16 years of age to fish.
26 D1. No license shall be required of resident persons under 12 years of age to hunt, provided such
27 person is accompanied and directly supervised by an adult who has, on his person, a valid Virginia
28 hunting license as described in subsection B of §29.1-300.1.
29 E. No license shall be required of a resident person 65 years of age or over to hunt or trap on
30 private property in the county or city in which he resides. An annual license at a fee of $1 shall be
31 required of a resident person 65 years of age or older to fish in any inland waters of the
32 Commonwealth, which shall be in addition to a license to fish for trout as specified in subsection B of
33 § 29.1-310 or a special lifetime trout fishing license as specified in § 29.1-302.4. A resident 65 years of
34 age or older may, upon proof of age satisfactory to the Department and the payment of a $1 fee, apply
35 for and receive from any authorized agent of the Department a nontransferable annual license permitting
36 such person to hunt or an annual license permitting such person to trap in all cities and counties of the
37 Commonwealth. Any lifetime license issued pursuant to this article prior to July 1, 1988, shall remain
38 valid for the lifetime of the person to whom it was issued. Any license issued pursuant to this section
39 includes any damage stamp required pursuant to Article 3 (§29.1-352 et seq.) of this chapter.
40 F. No license to fish shall be required of nonresident persons under 16 years of age when
41 accompanied by a person possessing a valid license to fish in Virginia.
42 G. No license shall be required to trap rabbits with box traps.
43 H. No license shall be required of resident persons under 16 years of age to trap when accompanied
44 by any person 18 years of age or older who possesses a valid state license to trap in this
45 Commonwealth.
46 I. No license to hunt, trap or fish shall be required of any Indian who habitually resides on an Indian
47 reservation or of a member of the Virginia recognized tribes who resides in the Commonwealth;
48 however, such Indian must have on his person an identification card or paper signed by the chief of his
49 tribe, a valid tribal identification card, written confirmation through a central tribal registry, or
50 certification from a tribal office. Such card, paper, confirmation, or certification shall set forth that the
51 person named is an actual resident upon such reservation or member of the recognized tribes in the
52 Commonwealth, and such card, paper, confirmation or certification shall create a presumption of
53 residence, which may be rebutted by proof of actual residence elsewhere.
54 J. No license to fish shall be required of legally blind persons.
55 K. No fishing license shall be required in any inland waters of the Commonwealth on free fishing
56 days. The Board shall designate no more than three free fishing days in any calendar year. In the event
57 that a free day is canceled as a result of an inclement weather event, the Board may designate another
58 free fishing day in its place.
INTRODUCED
HB247