Senate Bill No. 48

(By Senators Facemyer, Smith and Weeks)

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[Introduced January 8, 2003; referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and then to the committee on Finance.]

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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 sixty-four, relating to providing a single resident license for all hunting, fishing and trapping; and providing that one percent of the general revenue fund each fiscal year is dedicated for use by the division of natural resources.

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 sixty-four, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.

ยง20-2-64. One residential license for hunting, fishing and trapping; one percent of general revenue dedicated to division.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, beginning on the first day of July, two thousand five, the director shall issue to each qualified resident who applies a single annual license which shall entitle the resident to hunt, trap or fish for any lawful game or fish during the appropriate hunting, trapping or fishing season so designated for the particular game or fish without purchasing any additional state licenses or stamps. The license cost must include a four dollar fee to be paid to the division. In addition, a one dollar issuing fee may be charged by any merchant or other person who is authorized to offer hunting, trapping and fishing licenses for sale to the general public.
(b) Each fiscal year, one percent of existing funds in the general revenue fund of the state shall be dedicated as an appropriation to the division to be used to promote and support the division's obligations and activities intended to maintain and preserve the state's game, fishing and nongame wildlife resources, and for law-enforcement activities for which the division is responsible.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide a single resident license for all hunting, fishing and trapping. The bill also would dedicate each fiscal year one percent of all revenue in the general revenue fund to DNR.

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