The Senate Natural Resources Committee has approved two House bills and one House concurrent resolution to be reported to the floor with the recommendation that they pass.
HB 2708 would allow persons with developmental disabilities to receive a base hunting license and to satisfy the training requirements through a modified training course.
This bill also authorizes person with developmental disabilities to lawfully hunt while accompanied and directly supervised by another hunter, and makes criminal penalties for violating those provisions.
The provisions of Senate Bills 325, 474 and 380 were incorporated into the bill.
DNR Law Enforcement Chief Jerry Jenkins said there could be some fiscal cost involved, but he had no objections to the bill itself.
Natural Resources Chair Mark Maynard, R-Wayne, will consult with the Judiciary Chair to request that the bill’s second reference to the Senate Judiciary Committee be waived.
HB 3020 would provide that the penalty for hunting, trapping or fishing on the lands of another, entering upon posted lands, or destroying posted land signs shall be equivalent to the penalty for criminal trespass.
The provisions of Senate Bills 471, 472 and 536 were incorporated into the bill.
Gary Foster, assistant chief of game management for the DNR, was available to answer questions from members of the committee related to the inclusion of SB 536‘s provisions for guided bear hunts and how those hunts could affect elk populations.
HCR 15 would request Congress to fully support the National Park Service’s recommendations to extend the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to include additional sites along the Expedition’s Eastern Legacy.
The committee also passed four originating resolutions from the committee to be adopted by the Senate.
The first Originating Resolution would relate to the Great Eastern Trail.
The second Originating Resolution would relate to the establishment of a non-employee workforce to improve state parks and forests.
The third Originating Resolution would request a study of the economic impact of bicycle and pedestrian activity programs.
Senator Robert Beach, D-Monongalia, made an amendment to include the term “recreation commission” into the language of the resolution.
The fourth Originating Resolution would relate to converting idle railway property into Rails to Trails bike trails.
The Senate will resume their session at 6:30 p.m., where the bills and resolutions will be reported.
