*HB 150 Dogs; releasing upon or near posted land, penalty.
Mark L. Cole
Note: Very similar to Delegate Cole's failed 2005 HB1612. Presumption that any hunter's dog found on another's property not under the control of its owner is in violation of the law has been dropped. Punishment increased to a $500 fine. Scope narrowed to dogs pursuing game for hunters in the field.
* Supported by the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS)
OPPOSE
AG subcommittee tabled 1/18/2006. "Left" in House AG.

HB 362 Composition of Board of Game and Inland Fisheries. (1/6/2006 update)
(note edited 1/8/2006)
Scott Lingamfelter, Athey, Cosgrove, Gear, Griffith, Jones, S.C., Kilgore, Landes, Morgan, O'Bannon, Peace, Saxman, Suit and Wittman (Patron list updated 1/30/2006)
Note: Increases the membership of the Board and changes the criteria for selecting members of the Board. Under current law, the 11 members of the Board are appointed by the Governor, with one member representing each congressional district. The bill removes the current members and increases the number of Board members to 13, with the Speaker of the House appointing four members, the Senate Rules Committee appointing three members, and the Governor appointing six members. The terms of the new members will initially be staggered. The bill also requires that (i) the minute books and other records of the agency be open to examination by members of the General Assembly and (ii) the appointment of the Director of the Department be subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. This bill contains no structural or procedural improvements to DGIF's flawed wildlife rulemakings, nor does it change the DGIF's independent fee-setting authority. No committee confirmation hearings are required before appointees are voted on by the General Assembly, identical with current law.
Very materially amended, in policy and process areas, to include four similar bills, HB938, HB979, HB1130 and HB1131. AG committee reported 22-0 on 2/1/2006.
Further amended on the floor to require the DGIF Director's appointment be reconfirmed by the General Assembly every four years - 2/3/2006.
Passed by the House 99-0 on 2/6/2006.
Conveyed to the Senate. Senate Agriculture Committee reported 14-0 on 2/13/2006.
Passed Senate 38-0 on 2/15/2006.
Governor recommended wording change on 3/2/2006, "At such annual election, the chairman and vice-chairman shall not be eligible to be re-elected to their respective positions and no person shall serve more than one year as chairman and one year as vice-chairman during a four-year term."
House concurred in Governor's recommendation 98-1 on 3/3/2006.
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation 40-0 on 3/7/2006. Governor's recommendation by adopted Governor on 3/7/2006.
Reenrolled and signed by House Speaker and Senate President on 3/7/2006.
Became Virginia law, Chapter 69 (effective 7/1/06) on 3/7/2006.

HB 632 Hunting on Sundays (1/10/2006 update)
Clarence E. Phillips
Note: Allows hunting on Sundays west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
AG subcommittee passed by indefinitely (PBI) 1/18/2006. "Left" in House AG.

HB 711 Hunting on Sunday, local option. (1/10/2006 update)(note edited 1/11/2006)
Onzlee Ware
Note: Allows localities to authorize hunting on Sunday by ordinance.
SUPPORT
AG subcommittee passed by indefinitely (PBI) 1/18/2006. "Left" in House AG.

HB 938 Board of Game and Inland Fisheries (1/11/2006 update)
Harvey B. Morgan, Callahan, Jones, S.C., Orrock, Scott, E.T., Wardrup and Wittman (Patrons updated 1/17/2006)
Note: Changes the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries from a supervisory board to a policy board. The bill gives the Governor and not the Board the authority to appoint the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. However, the person who is serving as the Director on July 1, 2006, will continue in that position until he resigns or is terminated; whereupon, the Governor will appoint the new Director, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly.
SUPPORT
Incorporated into a substitute HB362

HB 939 Game wardens (1/11/2006 update)
Harvey B. Morgan, Callahan, Jones, S.C., Wardrup and Wittman (Patrons updated 1/17/2006)
Note: Gives the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries the power to appoint all game wardens. Currently, the Director is required to hire from within the ranks of wardens if he is seeking to hire for a law-enforcement position above the rank of game warden. An exception to this hiring requirement is that the Director can hire from outside the agency's game warden force, if the position requires such knowledge, skill, or abilities that do not exist within the pool of applicants. Misleading official summary. DGIF Director already has the authority to appoint all game wardens. This bill deletes any reference to the hiring of higher-ranking law enforcement personnel.
House AG Committee failed to report. "Left" in House AG.

HB 979 Executive branch supervisory boards; Attorney General to meet with members to explain duties, etc. (1/17/2006 update)
Watkins M. Abbitt, Albo, Melvin and Moran; Senators: Howell, Norment and Stolle
Note: Requires the Attorney General to meet with all appointed members of executive branch supervisory boards, commissions or councils, and explain to them their duties, responsibilities and potential liabilities. The bill also requires the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to develop a Governance Manual that sets forth the rules and procedures for the conduct of the Board's business. In addition, the bill (i) delineates the duties of the chairman of the Board and (ii) requires an annual audit of the agency's operations.
SUPPORT
Incorporated into a substitute HB362

HB 1061 Sale of bear parts. (1/11/2006 update)
Delegates Vivian Watts, Amundson, Bulova, Callahan, Hull, Moran, Plum, Rust, Scott, J.M., Shannon and Sickles; Senators: Cuccinelli, Howell, Ticer and Whipple (Patron list updated 1/30/2006)
Note: Permits the sale of bear parts from bears including but not limited to claws, bones and gallbladders legally hunted in the Commonwealth by hunters or newly permitted resellers. Currently, such sales are Class 1 misdemeanors or, if they amount to over $200 in a 90 day period, Class 6 felonies. Do Virginia hunters need a special $$ incentive to hunt bear? How does this not encourage illegal poaching?
OPPOSE
Carried over to February 1, 2006.
Struck at patron's request on February 1, 2006.

HB1130 Appointments to the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries. (1/11/2006 update)
Ben Cline, Athey, Cosgrove, Crockett-Stark, Gear, Gilbert, Landes, Morgan and Saxman (Patron list updated 1/30/2006)
Note: Changes the manner in which appointments are made to the 11-member Board of Game and Inland Fisheries. Currently, all members are appointed by the Governor. This bill will have the Governor appoint six members, the Speaker of the House of Delegates will appoint three members and the Senate Committee on Rules will appoint two members. The appointment will be made with the appointing authorities alternating in their selection of new members. The Governor will make the first appointment to fill a vacancy on the Board, followed by the Speaker and the Senate Committee on Rules.This bill contains no structural or procedural improvements to DGIF's flawed wildlife rulemakings, nor does it change the DGIF's independent fee-setting authority. No committee confirmation hearings are required before the Governor's appointees are voted on by the General Assembly, identical with current law. New House and Senate appointees don't require confirmation hearings or votes.
Incorporated into a substitute HB362

HB1131 Annual audit of the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries. (1/11/2006 update)
Ben Cline, Athey, Cosgrove, Gear, Gilbert, Kilgore, Landes, Lohr, Marshall, D.W., Moran, O'Bannon, Peace, Rapp, Saxman and Wardrup (Patron list updated 1/30/2006)
Note: Requires the Auditor of Public Accounts to conduct an annual audit of the accounts of the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries.
SUPPORT
Incorporated into a substitute HB362
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Senate Bills
SB 387 Deer hunting on Sunday (1/17/2006 update)
Kenneth W. Stolle
Note: Allows hunting on the first Sunday of early archery deer season, early muzzleloader deer season, and general firearms deer season.
Continued to 2007 in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (14-Y 0-N) on 2/6/2006.
Left in Senate ACNR on 12/11/2006

SJ 134 Confirming Governor's appointments; natural resources. (1/17/2006 update)
Stephen H. Martin
Note: Confirms interim appointments made by Governor Warner related to natural resources. Routine General Assembly confirmation of July 1st Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Board appointments, as part a package of 86 names. No individual reviews or committee hearings.
SUPPORT
Passed Senate 39-0 on 1/23/2006. Referred to the House.
Agreed to by House with amendment 98-0 on 2/9/2006
House amendment agreed to by Senate 40-0 on 2/10/2006

SB 564 Executive branch supervisory boards; Attorney General to meet with members to explain duties
Kenneth W. Stolle
Note: Requires the Attorney General to meet with all appointed members of executive branch supervisory boards, commissions or councils, and explain to them their duties, responsibilities and potential liabilities. The bill also requires the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to develop a Governance Manual that sets forth the rules and procedures for the conduct of the Board's business. In addition, the bill (i) delineates the duties of the chairman of the Board and (ii) requires an annual audit of the agency's operations.
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee 15-0 on 1/23/2006.
Senate passed 39-0 on 1/16/2006.
House AG Committee reported substitute 22-0 on 2/15/2006.
House BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE 97-0 on 2/17/2006.
House substitute agreed to by Senate 39-0 on 2/21/2006.
Enrolled 2/27/2006.
Signed by House Speaker on 2/28/2006.
Signed by Senate President on 3/01/2006.
Governor made Board officer recommendation identical to that of HB362 above on 4/11/2006.
Enacted as Virginia law, Chapter 915, effective 7/1/2006 on 4/19/2006.

SB 718 Hunters for Hungry; increases big game license to be allocated thereto. (1/27/2006 update)
Kenneth W. Stolle
Note: Increases the cost of the resident big game license by $1 and the nonresident big game license by $2. The amount of the increases will be allocated to the Hunters for the Hungry. This bill was introduced five days after the filing deadline, with unanimous consent.
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (12-Y 2-N) on 2/6/2006.
Passed Senate 32-7 on 2/9/2006.
Conveyed to the House and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources on 2/14/2006.
Reported from House AG 20-2 on 3/1/2006.
Read second time on 3/2/2006.
Rereferred to House AG on 3/3/2006.
Left in House AG on 3/6/2006.

2006 General Assembly Contact Information