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2016 SESSION
16102407DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 29.1-300.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 29.1-300.1. Certification of competence in hunter education; incentives.
A. Except as provided in subsection B of this
section and §§ 29.1-300.4 and 29.1-305.2, no hunting license
shall be issued to (i) a person who has never obtained a license to hunt in any
state or country, or (ii) a person who is under the age of sixteen 16, unless such a person
presents to the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries or one of its authorized license
vendors, a certificate of completion in hunter education issued or authorized
by the Board under the hunter education program, or proof that he holds the
equivalent certificate obtained from an authorized agency or association of
another state or country.
B. Although a resident under the age of twelve 12 is not required to obtain a
license to hunt, any person under the age of twelve 12, or an individual on his
behalf, may purchase a Virginia hunting license or a junior lifetime hunting
license pursuant to § 29.1-302.1, without completing a hunter education program
as required in subsection A of this section,
provided that no person under the age of twelve 12 shall hunt unless
accompanied and directly supervised by an adult who has, on his person, a valid
Virginia hunting license. The junior lifetime hunting license issued to an
individual under the age of twelve 12 shall become invalid on the
individual's twelfth birthday and remain invalid until certification of
competence in hunter education is shown as provided in this section. A lifetime
license, indicating the completion of hunter education or an equivalent
certificate, shall be reissued at no cost when such proof is provided.
The adult shall be responsible for such supervision. For the
purposes of this section, "adult" means the parent or legal guardian
of the person under age twelve 12, or such person over the
age of eighteen 18
designated by the parent or legal guardian.
"Accompanied and directly supervised" means that the
adult is within sight of the person under the age of twelve 12.
C. This section shall not apply to persons while on horseback hunting foxes with hounds but without firearms.
D. The Board shall adopt regulations that provide incentives for successful completion of a hunter education course to hunters who are not required by law to complete such a course. The regulations may include such incentives as increased bag limits, discounted license fees, or other incentives that the Board deems appropriate.