WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 4523

By Delegates Summers, Paynter, Hardy, Worrell and Maynard

[Introduced January 24, 2020; Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources then the Judiciary.]

A BILL to amend and reenact §20-2-42y of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to Class AH, AHJ, AAH, AAHJ apprentice hunting and trapping licenses; and removing the limitation of number of apprentice hunting and trapping licenses a person may purchase.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia;

ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.

§20-2-42y. Class AH, AHJ, AAH, AAHJ apprentice hunting and trapping licenses; penalties.

(a) Except for persons otherwise exempted, Class AH, AHJ, AAH, and AAHJ licenses are apprentice hunting and trapping licenses and entitle the licensee to hunt and trap for all legal species of wild animals and wild birds. The licenses shall be base licenses and entitle the licensee to a deferral of the proof of a certificate of training required under the provisions of §20-2-30a of this code.

(b) The apprentice hunting and trapping licensee shall may not hunt or trap unless he or she is in possession of a1l all other required documentation and stamps and is accompanied and directly supervised by an adult 18 years of age or older who either possesses a valid West Virginia hunting license or has the lawful privilege to hunt pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. For purposes of this section, “accompanied and directly supervised” means that a person maintains a close visual and verbal contact with, provides adequate direction to, and can assume control of the firearm from the apprentice hunter.

(c) The cost of the Class AH license for residents who have reached their 18th birthday shall be $19 and shall have the same privileges associated with Class A base license. The cost of the Class AAH license for nonresidents who have reached their 18th birthday shall be $119 and shall have the same privileges associated with a Class E base license. The cost of the Class AHJ license shall be $16 for residents who have reached their 15th birthday and who have not reached their 18th birthday, and shall have the same privileges associated with Class XJ base license. The cost of the Class AAHJ license shall be $16 for nonresidents who have not reached their 18th birthday and shall have the same privileges associated with a Class XXJ base license.

(d) An apprentice hunting and trapping license is a yearly license and may only be purchased electronically in a manner designated by the director. No person who has ever had a valid base hunting license, other than a Class AH, Class AHJ, Class AAH, or Class AAHJ license, may be issued one of the apprentice hunting and trapping licenses. Further, no person may purchase more than three apprentice hunting and trapping licenses, and the purchases must occur within a period of five consecutive years

(e) The director may promulgate rules in accordance with §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code regulating the issuance of apprentice hunting and trapping licenses.

(f) Any person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be is subject to the punishment and penalties prescribed in §20-7-9 of this code.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to remove the limitation of number of apprentice hunting and trapping licenses a person may purchase.

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