H. B. 4536


(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and
Delegates Butcher, Dempsey, Kominar,
Yeager, Sparks and H. White)
[Introduced February 24, 1998; referred to the
Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.]


A BILL to amend article two, chapter twenty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section five-f, relating to establishing a pilot project to permit Sunday hunting in Boone, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, Wayne and Wyoming counties; and division of natural resources to report to Legislature to recommend discontinuance or expansion statewide of project.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article two, chapter twenty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section five-f, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.

 §20-2-5f. Pilot project to permit Sunday hunting.
(a) The purpose of the Legislature in enacting this section is to enable the implementation of a pilot project to permit Sunday hunting to address the following legislative findings:
(1) There have been changing economic, cultural and social demographics in this state, in which many residents of this state are working longer hours in their employment and are working nontraditional work weeks which require Saturday employment; and
(2) There is an increasing need for the expansion of outdoor recreation opportunities for our state's hard working citizens who are unable to participate in outdoor recreation activities during weekdays and on Saturday because of employment commitments, and the opportunity to hunt on Sunday would help to address this need.
(b) The division of natural resources shall establish a pilot project in Boone, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, Wayne and Wyoming counties to permit Sunday hunting during all periods of division of natural resources designated hunting seasons.
(c) The pilot project shall commence on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight, and continue until the first day of July, two thousand, unless sooner terminated by the Legislature. On the first day of the regular legislative session, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, the division of natural resources shall report to the governor and the Legislature as to the progress of the project and whether it should be continued or discontinued, with any recommended modifications in the project and any action necessary by the Legislature to improve the success of the project. On the first day of the regular legislative session, two thousand, the division of natural resources shall report to the governor and the Legislature as to whether the findings in this section are being addressed and recommend whether the pilot project shall be expanded statewide, with specific recommendations for project support and administration, development and other relevant policy issues.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish a pilot project to permit Sunday hunting in Boone, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.