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2020 SESSION

20102328D
SENATE BILL NO. 459
Offered January 8, 2020
Prefiled January 7, 2020
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 29.1-302, 29.1-302.01, and 29.1-302.02 of the Code of Virginia, relating to hunting and fishing licenses; veterans and active duty service members.
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Patron-- Reeves
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Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 29.1-302, 29.1-302.01, and 29.1-302.02 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 29.1-302. Special lifetime license for veterans and active duty military personnel.

A. Any resident veteran who is totally and permanently disabled due to a service-connected disability as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or active duty service member may apply for and receive at no cost from the Department a nontransferable license pursuant to 4VAC15-20-65, valid for life, permitting the veteran or active duty service member to hunt and freshwater fish, or to hunt only or to freshwater fish only, depending on which license is purchased, on any property in the Commonwealth according to restrictions and regulations of law.

B. Any nonresident active duty service member may apply for and receive from the Department a nontransferable license, to be obtained for a fee of $250, valid for life, permitting the nonresident active duty service member to hunt and freshwater fish, or to hunt only or to freshwater fish only, depending on which license is purchased, on any property in the Commonwealth according to restrictions and regulations of law.

However, this C. A license issued pursuant to this section shall not entitle the owner to fish in designated waters stocked with trout by the Department or other public body.

§ 29.1-302.01. Special fishing license for nonresident disabled active duty military personnel.

Any resident or nonresident who is (i) on active duty military service, (ii) disabled due to service-connected disability, and (iii) receiving inpatient or outpatient medical treatment from a hospital located in Virginia, an adjoining state, or the District of Columbia may apply for and shall receive from the Department a nontransferable state license to fish as required by subsections A and B of § 29.1-310. This license shall be issued at no cost and shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance. The holder of the license shall not be eligible to receive a subsequent license issued under this section.

§ 29.1-302.02. Special nonresident hunting and fishing licenses for partially disabled veterans.

A. Any resident nonresident veteran who is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as having at least a 70 percent service-connected disability, upon certification, shall pay an amount equal to one-half the fee for the state resident basic hunting license required by subdivision 2 of § 29.1-303. Any nonresident veteran who is similarly rated, upon certification, shall pay an amount equal to one-half the fee for the state nonresident license required by subdivision 3 of § 29.1-303. The license fees established by this section may be revised by the Board pursuant to § 29.1-103.

B. Any resident nonresident veteran who is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as having at least a 70 percent service-connected disability, upon certification, shall pay an amount equal to one-half the fee for the state resident basic fishing license required by subdivision A 2 of § 29.1-310. Any nonresident veteran who is similarly rated, upon certification, shall pay an amount equal to one-half the fee for the state nonresident license required by subdivision A 3 of § 29.1-310. The license fees established by this section may be revised by the Board pursuant to § 29.1-103.