The Senate Committee on Natural Resources has approved two bills to be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that they pass.
SB 410 would allow a West Virginia Division of Natural Resources identification tag to be used to identify a trap, instead of just the name and address of the trapper.
Committee counsel Noelle Starek said the bill arose from a “constituent issue,” in which a citizen believed the ID could serve as an equivalent to a name and address.
Some committee members rose concerns regarding the length of the process it could take to contact the DNR in order to retrieve a trapper’s address and name, in case of an emergency involving the trap.
Memembers were reasurred by DNR Colonel Jerry Jenkins that the process would not take very long, as the DNR also has an extension with 9-1-1 emergency services.
SB 28 would allow three or more contiguous counties to create a regional recreation authority for off-highway vehicle trail riding and other recreational purposes.
The bill is modeled after an orginial law pertaining to the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority.
Starek said supporters of the bill claim it will “boost economic development and tourism” by providing more unique trail systems throughout the state and Appalachian region.
Each recreation area would have to span at least 10,000 acres and be self-sustaining, aside from devoted funds from county commissions or federal trail and recreation grants.
The bill will be referred to the Senate Committe on Government Organization once reported to the floor.
