H. B. 2461


(By Delegates Love, By Request and Riggs)
[Introduced January 10, 1996; referred to the
Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources .]




A BILL to amend and reenact section fifty, article two, chapter twenty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to requiring persons who desire to collect wildlife for scientific or educational purposes to apply to the director of the division of natural resources for authorization to do so.

 Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section fifty, article two, chapter twenty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.

§20-2-50. Permit to hunt, kill, etc., wildlife for scientific
or propagation purposes.

The director may issue a permit to a person to hunt, kill, take, capture or maintain in captivity wildlife or reptiles exclusively for scientific or propagation purposes, but not for any commercial purposes. Any person desiring to collect or procure any wildlife, including any body tissue, organ or other portion thereof, eggs, nesting materials or other materials from the habitat of such wildlife shall be required to make application to the director for a scientific collecting permit. The director shall make rules for the issuance of the permits. A permit may be issued only upon written application to the director setting forth at least:
(1) The number and kind of wildlife or reptiles to be taken;
(2) The purpose and manner of taking; and
(3) The name, residence, and profession and educational or scientific affiliation of the person applying for the permit; and
(4) The geographic location where the collection or procurement is planned to take place.
No charge shall be made for this permit: Provided, That no permit shall be issued for the purpose of killing deer and bear.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require persons to apply for a permit from division of natural resources in order to collect or procure wildlife or any materials associated with wildlife habitats for scientific or educational purposes.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.