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2003 SESSION

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033373600
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 600 Offered January 8, 2003 Prefiled January 7, 2003 Requesting the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to study the exemptions from hunting and fishing license requirements. Report. ---------- Patron-- Abbitt ---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, it is unlawful to hunt, trap, or fish in or on the lands or inland waters of the Commonwealth without first obtaining a license; and

WHEREAS, Virginia law exempts various individuals from the license requirements, including landowners, their spouses, their children and minor grandchildren, or their parents on their own lands, and members of the Virginia recognized Indian tribes who reside in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, license sales revenue is the single largest financial resource that funds the programs and activities of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, a nongeneral-funded agency; and

WHEREAS, federal funds received by the Department for wildlife restoration and sport fish restoration are partially based on the number of licensed hunters and anglers in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the exceptions to license requirements result not only in a direct reduction in the Department’s revenue, but also it is estimated that each unlicensed hunter and fisherman in the Commonwealth causes the Department to forgo an additional $5.00 in federal funding that would be used for the management of Virginia’s freshwater fish and wildlife resources; and

WHEREAS, the current budget shortfall in state government has resulted in a decrease in the Department’s budget of more than $5 million dollars during each year of the 2002-2004 biennium; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries be requested to study the exemptions from hunting and fishing license requirements.

In conducting the study, the Department shall determine the potential financial impact that these exemptions have on Department revenue.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Department for this study, upon request.

The Department shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2003, and the Director shall submit an executive summary and a document of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than the first day of the 2004 Regular Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The executive summary shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.