H. B. 4476

         (By Delegates D. Evans, Cooper, Eldridge,

         Williams, Hamilton, Staggers, Lynch, Ireland,

         Ambler and Pino)

         [Introduced February 11, 2014; referred to the

Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources then Finance.]

A BILL to amend and reenact §20-2B-7 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to allowing any person who was born in West Virginia to purchase a resident lifetime hunting, trapping or fishing license.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That §20-2B-7 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 2B. WILDLIFE ENDOWMENT FUND.

§20-2B-7. Lifetime hunting, fishing and trapping licenses created.

    (a) Pursuant to section three of this article, the Director may issue the following lifetime hunting, fishing and trapping licenses and for the lifetime of the licensee, the lifetime licenses serve in lieu of the equivalent annual license: Lifetime resident statewide hunting and trapping license; lifetime resident combination statewide hunting, fishing and trapping license; lifetime statewide fishing license; and lifetime resident trout fishing license: Provided, That any person who can establish by birth certificate that he or she was born in West Virginia is eligible to purchase any of the resident lifetime licenses offered under the provisions of this section irrespective of that person's current state of residence: Provided, however, That a full-time nonresident student who attends an in-state college or university is not eligible to purchase any of these lifetime licenses.

    (b) The Director shall propose a rule for legislative approval in accordance with article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, setting the fees for the lifetime licenses. The rule shall provide that the fee for any resident who has not reached his or her second birthday shall be one half of the adult fee set under the rule. The fees for lifetime licenses shall be twenty-three times the fee for the equivalent annual licenses or stamps.

    NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow any person who was born in West Virginia to purchase a resident lifetime hunting, trapping or fishing license.

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