HB872 Wearing blaze orange while hunting.
Joe Johnson (by request)
Summary: Requires a hunter or any person who accompanies a hunter to wear blaze orange clothing during any firearms deer season, including the muzzleloader season. The bill also increases the amount of blaze orange clothing that has to be displayed from 100 square inches to 250 square inches.
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
Tabled in ACNR by voice vote on 1/23/2008

HB886 Bear hound training season.
Matt Lohr
Summary: Allows the training of dogs to hunt bears at night. Currently, the training of dogs to hunt bears is limited to one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. (Virginia Bear Hunters Association Bill)
SUPPORT
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Set for subcommittee hearing at 5:00 PM on 1/23/2008
Amended and recommended to report
Set for full committee hearing at 8:30 AM on 1/30/2008
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment (22-Y 0-N)
BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N)
Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 31 (effective 7/1/08)

HB932 Reckless handling of firearms; penalty.
Todd Gilbert, Sen. Ruff
Summary:Provides a Class 6 felony if the reckless handling of a firearm unintentionally causes the serious bodily injury of another person resulting in permanent and significant physical impairment.
SUPPORT
Committee for Courts of Justice
Reset for subcommittee hearing on 1/23/2008
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (20-Y 2-N)
Referred to Committee on Appropriations
Left in Appropriations

HB1016 Killing of deer over bait; local authority.
Tim Hugo
Summary: Allows the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to allow the killing of deer over bait in counties with a special late antlerless season when specifically requested by the governing body of the locality. (DGIF bill)
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
Reported from ACNR (21-Y 0-N) on 1/16/2008
Passed House BLOCK VOTE (96-Y 0-N) on 1/21/2008
Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 17 (effective 7/1/08)

HB1175 Apprentice hunting license.
Scott Lingamfelter
Summary: Authorizes the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to issue an apprentice hunting license. This license would be issued in lieu of the current state resident or nonresident basic hunting license. It is a one-time license that expires one year from the date of purchase and does not require the licensee to complete a hunter education course. The fee for obtaining the license would be $10 for residents and $20 for nonresidents. The purpose of the bill is to extend limited hunting privileges to persons interested in learning about hunting sports. (HSUS Opposed)
Qualified Support
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Reset for full committee hearing at 8:30 AM on 1/30/2008
Reported from ACNR with amendment (22-Y 0-N)
BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N)
Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 18 (effective 7/1/08)

HB1352 Board of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Lee Ware
Reconstitutes the membership of the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries. The bill changes the criteria for appointment from the current requirement that there be a member chosen from each congressional district to at least one member, but no more than three, from each Department of Game and Inland Fisheries District. As a qualification for appointment, each Board member must have held a resident hunting or fishing license for three consecutive years. (Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance Bill)
Serious concerns
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Reset for subcommittee hearing at 5:00 PM on 1/30/2008
Amended and recommended to report (4-Y 3-N)
Set for full ACNR hearing at 8:30 AM on 2/6/2008
Reported from ACNR with substitute (12-Y 10-N)
Passed by for the day on 2/8/2008
Read third time and defeated by House (48-Y 50-N) on 2/12/2008
Reconsideration of defeated action agreed to by House (52-Y 45-N)
Defeated by House (47-Y 52-N)

HB1361 Duties of Director of Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Ben Cline
Summary: Requires the Director to (i) submit a quarterly accounting of the expenses he has control over to the Secretary of Natural Resources for his review and approval and (ii) execute a surety bond conditioned upon the faithful performance of his duties.
SUPPORT
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Reset for full committee hearing at 8:30 AM on 2/6/2008
Reported from ACNR with substitute (21-Y 1-N)
Read third time and passed House (90-Y 8-N) on 2/11/2008
PBI (killed) in Senate ACNR (13-Y 1-N)

SB263 Retrieving hunting dogs.
Creigh Deeds
Summary: Requires the revocation of the hunting license for the current and the next hunting seasons as well as the forfeiture of the firearm or bow and arrow of any person who is convicted of carrying such weapons on another person's property while he is retrieving his hunting dogs. Update: This bill was amended just before the Courts vote to also create a new Class 2 misdemeanor (up to $1000 fine and/or up to six months in jail) for dog owners carrying firearms and/or bows, or otherwise violating the Code's right-to-retrieve provisions.
This bill imposes tougher penalties on dog hunters, or those who may claim to be retrieving their dogs, than apply to trespassing armed hunters without dogs. Why are dog owning sportsmen being singled out? If hunters that trespass lose their firearms and hunting licenses, any and all violators should be treated alike.
OPPOSE
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
Reset for subcommitte hearing on 1/29/2008
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (14-Y 1-N)
Passed Senate (38-Y 1-N)
Set for House ACNR hearing on 2/27/2008
Tabled in Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by voice vote

SB524 Hunting on Sunday.
Frank Wagner
Summary: Allows a person to hunt or kill any wild bird or wild animal on Sundays. (HSUS Opposed)
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Set for hearing at 9:30 AM on 1/21/2008
Passed by indefinitely (killed) in ACNR (13-Y 2-N)

SB617 Apprentice hunting license.
Ken Stolle
Summary: Authorizes the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to issue an apprentice hunting license. This license would be issued in lieu of the current state resident or nonresident basic hunting license. It is a one-time license that expires one year from the date of purchase and does not require the licensee to complete a hunter education course. The fee for obtaining the license would be $10 for residents and $20 for nonresidents. The purpose of the bill is to extend limited hunting privileges to persons interested in learning about hunting sports. Note: Identical to HB1175 (HSUS Opposed)
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Set for hearing at 9:30 AM on 1/21/2008
Reported from ACNR with amendment (15-Y 0-N)
Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 416 (effective 7/1/08)

SJ115 Confirming appointments by the Governor of an agency head and certain persons. (1/14/2008 update)
Janet Howell
Summary: Confirms the appointments of Ward Burton, John W. Montgomery Jr., and Mary Louisa Pollard as members of the Board of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
Reported from Privileges and Elections (14-Y 0-N) on 1/22/2008
Agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)
Referred to House Committee on Privileges and Elections
Reported from Privileges and Elections (22-Y 0-N)
House adopted (96-Y 0-N 2-A)

HB1456 (Sunday) Hunting with bow and arrow or crossbow. (1/15/2008 update)
Paul Nichols
Summary: Allows persons who hunt with a bow and arrow or crossbow to hunt on private lands on Sundays. (HSUS Opposed)
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Set for Natural Resources subcommittee hearing on 1/23/2008
Recommended to PBI (kill)
Left in ACNR

HB1482 Damage from bears; non-lethal control measures. (1/16/2008 update)
Chris Saxman
Summary: Authorizes the Director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to employ non-lethal control measures to control bears that are damaging property. Currently the Director may relocate the bear, but is not explicitly authorized to use other non-lethal control measures such as fencing. Any such measures are permissible only if used within a reasonable period of time.
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Reported from ACNR (22-Y 0-N) on 1/23/2008
HOUSE BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N)
Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 260 (effective 7/1/08)

HJ231 Board of Game and Inland Fisheries resolution.(1/16/2008 update)
Chris Saxman
Summary: Expresses the sense of the General Assembly that the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries provide for greater citizen input in the formulation of wildlife regulations.
SUPPORT
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
Reported from ACNR (22-Y 0-N) on 1/23/2008
HOUSE BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N)
Reported from Rules with substitute by voice vote
Agreed to by Senate
Senate substitute agreed to by House (99-Y 0-N)

SB708 Urban archery season (1/16/2008 update)
Ken Stolle
Summary: Requires the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to incorporate in its regulations for the urban archery season provisions that are consistent with the daily hunting provisions contained in the regulations for controlled shooting areas.
Permits urban archery deer hunting on Sundays
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Set for hearing at 9:30 AM on 1/21/2008
Reported from ACNR with amendments (14-Y 1-N)
Passed Senate (31-Y 8-N)
Set for House ACNR hearing on 2/27/2008
Tabled in Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by voice vote

2008 General Assembly Contact Information