WEST virginia legislature
2018 regular session
Introduced
House Bill 4180
By Delegates Hamilton, A. Evans, R. Romine, Love, Eldridge, Jennings, Lynch, Hollen and Wagner
[Introduced January 18,
2018; Referred
to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources then Government
Organization.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §20-1-7 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to wildlife resources; and authorizing the Director of the Division of Natural Resources to establish procedures and a fee schedule for individuals applying for limited permit hunts.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 1. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.
§20-1-7. Additional powers, duties and services of director.
In addition to all other powers, duties and
responsibilities granted and assigned to the director in this chapter and
elsewhere by law, the director is hereby authorized and empowered to may:
(1) With the advice of the commission, prepare and administer, through the various divisions created by this chapter, a long-range comprehensive program for the conservation of the natural resources of the state which best effectuates the purpose of this chapter and which makes adequate provisions for the natural resources laws of the state;
(2) Sign and execute in the name of the state by the
Division of Natural Resources any contract or agreement with the federal
government or its departments or agencies, subdivisions of the state,
corporations, associations, partnerships or individuals: Provided, That
intergovernmental cooperative agreements and agreements with nongovernmental
organizations in furtherance of providing a comprehensive program for the
exploration, conservation, development, protection, enjoyment and use of the
natural resources of the state are exempt from the provisions of §5A-3-1 et
seq. of this code: Provided, however, That repair and related
construction contracts necessary to protect public health or safety or to
provide uninterrupted enjoyment and public use of state parks, state forests,
wildlife management areas and state natural areas under the jurisdiction of the
Division of Natural Resources are exempt from the provisions of §5A-3-1 et
seq. of this code. Nothing in this section shall authorizes the
construction or replacement of capital improvements without complying with the
provisions of §5A-3-1 et seq. of this code.
(3) Conduct research in improved conservation methods and disseminate information matters to the residents of the state;
(4) Conduct a continuous study and investigation of the habits of wildlife and, for purposes of control and protection, to classify by regulation the various species into such categories as may be established as necessary;
(5) Prescribe the locality in which the manner and method by which the various species of wildlife may be taken, or chased, unless otherwise specified by this chapter, establishing procedures and fee schedule for individuals applying for limited permit hunts;
(6) Hold at least six meetings each year at such time
and at such points within the state, as in the discretion of the Natural
Resources Commission may appear to be necessary and proper for the purpose of
giving interested persons in the various sections of the state an opportunity
to be heard concerning open season for their respective areas, and report the
results of the meetings to the Natural Resources Commission before such the
season and bag limits are fixed by it;
(7) Suspend open hunting season upon any or all wildlife in any or all counties of the state with the prior approval of the Governor in case of an emergency such as a drought, forest fire hazard or epizootic disease among wildlife. The suspension shall continue during the existence of the emergency and until rescinded by the director. Suspension, or reopening after such suspension, of open seasons may be made upon twenty-four hours’ notice by delivery of a copy of the order of suspension or reopening to the wire press agencies at the state capitol;
(8) Supervise the fiscal affairs and responsibilities of the division;
(9) Designate such localities as he or she shall determine to be necessary and desirable for the perpetuation of any species of wildlife;
(10) Enter private lands to make surveys or inspections for conservation purposes, to investigate for violations of provisions of this chapter, to serve and execute warrants and processes, to make arrests and to otherwise effectively enforce the provisions of this chapter;
(11) Acquire for the state in the name of the Division of Natural Resources by purchase, condemnation, lease or agreement, or accept or reject for the state, in the name of the Division of Natural Resources, gifts, donations, contributions, bequests or devises of money, security or property, both real and personal, and any interest in such property, including lands and waters, which he or she deems suitable for the following purposes:
(a) For state forests for the purpose of growing timber, demonstrating forestry, furnishing or protecting watersheds or providing public recreation;
(b) For state parks or recreation areas for the purpose of preserving scenic, aesthetic, scientific, cultural, archaeological or historical values or natural wonders, or providing public recreation;
(c) For public hunting, trapping or fishing grounds or waters for the purpose of providing areas in which the public may hunt, trap or fish, as permitted by the provisions of this chapter and the rules issued hereunder;
(d) For fish hatcheries, game farms, wildlife research areas and feeding stations;
(e) For the extension and consolidation of lands or waters suitable for the above purposes by exchange of other lands or waters under his or her supervision;
(f) For such other purposes as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter;
(12) Capture, propagate, transport, sell or exchange any species of wildlife as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter;
(13) Sell timber for not less than the value thereof,
as appraised by a qualified appraiser appointed by the director, from all lands
under the jurisdiction and control of the director, except those lands that are
designated as state parks and those in the Kanawha State Forest. The appraisal
shall be made within a reasonable time prior to any sale, reduced to writing,
filed in the office of the director and shall be available for public
inspection. The director must obtain the written permission of the Governor to
sell timber when the appraised value is more than $5,000. The director shall
receive sealed bids therefor, after notice by publication as a Class II legal
advertisement in compliance with the provisions of §59-3-1 et
seq. of this code and the publication area for such the publication
shall be each county in which the timber is located. The timber so advertised
shall be sold at not less than the appraised value to the highest responsible
bidder, who shall give bond for the proper performance of the sales contract as
the director shall designate; but the director shall have the right to may
reject any and all bids and to readvertise for bids. If the foregoing
provisions of this section have been complied with and no bid equal to or in
excess of the appraised value of the timber is received, the director may, at
any time, during a period of six months after the opening of the bids, sell the
timber in such manner as he or she deems appropriate, but the sale price shall
may not be less than the appraised value of the timber advertised. No
contract for sale of timber made pursuant to this section shall may
extend for a period of more than ten years. And all contracts heretofore
entered into by the state for the sale of timber shall may not be
validated by this section if the same be a contract is otherwise
invalid. The proceeds arising from the sale of the timber so sold shall be paid
to the Treasurer of the State of West Virginia and shall be credited to the
division and used exclusively for the purposes of this chapter: Provided,
That nothing contained herein shall may prohibit the sale of
timber which otherwise would be removed from right-of-way’s necessary for and
strictly incidental to the extraction of minerals;
(14) Sell or lease, with the approval in writing of
the Governor, coal, oil, gas, sand, gravel and any other minerals that may be
found in the lands under the jurisdiction and control of the director, except
those lands that are designated as state parks. The director, before making
sale or lease thereof, shall receive sealed bids therefor, after notice by
publication as a Class II legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions
of §59-3-1
et seq. of this code, and the publication area for such publication
shall be each county in which such lands are located. The minerals so
advertised shall be sold or leased to the highest responsible bidder, who shall
give bond for the proper performance of the sales contract or lease as the
director shall designate; but the director shall have the right to may
reject any and all bids and to readvertise for bids. The proceeds
arising from any such sale or lease shall be paid to the Treasurer of the State
of West Virginia and shall be credited to the division and used exclusively for
the purposes of this chapter;
(15) Exercise the powers granted by this chapter for the protection of forests and regulate fires and smoking in the woods or in their proximity at such times and in such localities as may be necessary to reduce the danger of forest fires;
(16) Cooperate with departments and agencies of state, local and federal governments in the conservation of natural resources and the beautification of the state;
(17) Report to the Governor each year all information
relative to the operation and functions of the division and the director shall
make such other reports and recommendations as may be required by the Governor,
including an annual financial report covering all receipts and disbursements of
the division for each fiscal year, and he or she shall deliver such the
report to the Governor on or before December 1, next after the end of the
fiscal year so covered. A copy of such the report shall be
delivered to each house of the Legislature when convened in January next following;
(18) Keep a complete and accurate record of all proceedings, record and file all bonds and contracts taken or entered into and assume responsibility for the custody and preservation of all papers and documents pertaining to his or her office, except as otherwise provided by law;
(19) Offer and pay, in his or her discretion, rewards for information respecting the violation, or for the apprehension and conviction of any violators, of any of the provisions of this chapter;
(20) Require such reports as he or she may deem
determine to be necessary from any person issued a license or permit
under the provisions of this chapter, but no person shall may be
required to disclose secret processes or confidential data of competitive
significance;
(21) Purchase as provided by law all equipment necessary for the conduct of the division;
(22) Conduct and encourage research designed to
further new and more extensive uses of the natural resources of this state and
to publicize the findings of such the research;
(23) Encourage and cooperate with other public and private organizations or groups in their efforts to publicize the attractions of the state;
(24) Accept and expend, without the necessity of
appropriation by the Legislature, any gift or grant of money made to the
division for any and all purposes specified in this chapter and he or
she shall account for and report on all such receipts and expenditures to the
Governor;
(25) Cooperate with the state historian and other
appropriate state agencies in conducting research with reference to the
establishment of state parks and monuments of historic, scenic and recreational
value and to take such steps as may be necessary in establishing such the
monuments or parks as he or she deems advisable;
(26) Maintain in his or her office at all times,
properly indexed by subject matter and also in chronological sequence, all
rules made or issued under the authority of this chapter. Such The
records shall be available for public inspection on all business days during
the business hours of working days;
(27) Delegate the powers and duties of his or her office, except the power to execute contracts not related to land and stream management, to appointees and employees of the division, who shall act under the direction and supervision of the director and for whose acts he or she shall be responsible;
(28) Conduct schools, institutions and other educational programs, apart from or in cooperation with other governmental agencies, for instruction and training in all phases of the natural resources programs of the state;
(29) Authorize the payment of all or any part of the
reasonable expenses incurred by an employee of the division in moving his or
her household furniture and effects as a result of a reassignment of the
employee: Provided, That no part of the moving expenses of any one such
employee shall may be paid more frequently than once in twelve
months; and
(30) Promulgate rules, in accordance with the provisions of §29A-1-1 et seq. of this code, to implement and make effective the powers and duties vested in him or her by the provisions of this chapter and take such other steps as may be necessary in his or her discretion for the proper and effective enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Director of the Division of Natural Resources to establish procedures and a fee schedule for individuals applying for limited permit hunts.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.