H. B. 4561


(By Delegates Butcher, Ferrell, Hrutkay,

Stemple, Wright and Boggs)

[Introduced February 20, 2004 ; referred to the

Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources then the Judiciary.]



A BILL to amend the code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §20-2-5f, relating to authorizing the director of the division of natural resources to allow nonresidents to train dogs for coon hunting, if the nonresidents' state reciprocates for West Virginia residents.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §20-2-5f, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.
§20-2-5f. Nonresident dog training for coon hunting; training season.

Notwithstanding subdivision (24), section five of this article or any other provision to the contrary, the director is authorized to allow a nonresident to train dogs for coon hunting in West Virginia, if the state in which the nonresident resides allows residents from West Virginia to train dogs for coon hunting. The dog training season for training dogs for coon hunting is from the fifteenth day of August of each year through the legal small game hunting season.



NOTE:
The purpose of this bill is to authorize the director of DNR to allow nonresidents to train dogs for coon hunting in West Virginia if the nonresidents' state reciprocates with residents of West Virginia.

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