H. B. 4488
(By Delegates Kessler, Burdiss, Rodighiero,
Eldridge and Stephens)
[Introduced February 11, 2008; referred to the
Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources then
Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §20-2-65, relating to
prohibiting timber or land holding companies or other entities
from setting up and charging for hunting club organizations;
and requiring these companies or entities to permit, for a
fee, licensed hunters to hunt on property owned or held by the
companies or entities.
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 §20-2-65, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.
§20-2-65. Prohibiting timber or land holding companies from
setting up and charging for hunting club
organizations; hunting license to be issued.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this code or law to the
contrary, it is unlawful for any timber or land holding company,
whether owned by an in-state or an out-of-state corporation or
other legal entity to set up and charge for hunting club
organizations and offering only this release to hunt. A timber or
land holding company owning or holding real estate in West Virginia
must offer to any citizen of this state who is permitted a hunting
license the right to purchase a permit to hunt on any land owned by
the timber or land holding company at any location in West Virginia
for a fee of ten dollars a year. The proceeds of these permits
shall be shared equally, five dollars to the Division of Natural
Resources and five dollars to the land owners or holders.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit timber or land
holding companies or other entities from setting up and charging
for hunting club organizations. It requires these companies or
entities to permit, for a fee, licensed hunters to hunt on property
owned or held by the companies or entities. Proceeds from the
permits are to be divided equally between the Division of Natural
Resources and the land owners or holders.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.