Game and Inland Fisheries, Board of; expands authority to adopt regulations on feeding game, etc. (HB487)

Introduced By

Del. Scott Lingamfelter (R-Woodbridge)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Board of Game and Inland Fisheries; regulatory authority. Expands the authority of the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to adopt regulations on the feeding of wild birds, wild animals, or inland water fish. Currently, the Board has the authority to adopt regulations pertaining to the hunting, taking, capture, killing, possession, sale, purchase, and transportation of any wild bird, wild animal, or inland water fish. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/12/2010Committee
01/12/2010Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/10 10100523D
01/12/2010Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
01/20/2010Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (20-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/21/2010Read first time
01/22/2010Read second time
01/22/2010Passed by for the day
01/25/2010Passed by for the day
01/26/2010Read second time
01/26/2010Amendments by Delegate Lingamfelter agreed to
01/26/2010Engrossed by House as amended HB487E
01/26/2010Printed as engrossed 10100523D-E
01/27/2010Read third time and passed House (97-Y 1-N)
01/27/2010VOTE: --- PASSAGE (97-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
01/27/2010Impact statement from DPB (HB487E)
01/28/2010Constitutional reading dispensed
01/28/2010Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
02/22/2010Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (9-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2010Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/24/2010Read third time
02/24/2010Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/02/2010Enrolled
03/02/2010Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB487ER)
03/02/2010Impact statement from DPB (HB487ER)
03/02/2010Signed by Speaker
03/03/2010Signed by President
03/29/2010G Approved by Governor-Chapter 184 (effective 7/1/10)
03/29/2010G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0184)

Comments

Marian Payne writes:

The feeding of wildlife has become a critical issue in Richmond. The number of resident Canada geese has greatly increased due to feeding. Not only do the feces create a real health hazard, but most of the feeding is done with stale bread which is not healthy for the geese. Most of the Canada geese in the Richmond area do not migrate due to the abundance of food available. I believe an law making the feeding of wildlife punishable by a fine should be put in place.
Thank you.

maxine writes:

No I don't think this is a good idea!!!
I feed squirrels and birds at my backyard feeders, if the squirrels stick around, will I be arrested?

Martha Morehouse writes:

No!!! I think this is a bad idea. I feed feral cats near my home. If wildlife eats the food, would I face arrest??

Alfonso writes:

I think the feral cats would be considered wild life.

Jiboko writes:

I used to feed birds with birdfeeders so squirrels stole birdfeeds till one early morning, I saw FIVE rats eating on ground where bird feed falling off feeders. I quit feeding birds....Birdfeeding is sure luring some rats and mice coming near our home. It is not good idea to feed big wild birds so they can be immigrated.

Katie writes:

Ever since I was a child our family has put out feed in the winter months for the wildlife in and around our home. We even place a salt block for the deer on our property. This is all done for our personal enjoyment of the wildlife. If this bill passes it would mean that this would have to end. With the amount of feed we put out I can tell you the wild life are not sustaining themselves on it, but they do enjoy the easiness of getting it, it's like a bonus to them in the winter as well as summer. There is one thing we also practice and that is we stop feeding at a certain point of the year. This incourages those that do migrate to do so, and then later in the winter we start of feed up again. Maybe this could help everyone

Steve writes:

Canadian Geese... Ask the Board for a kill permit, kill them and eat them... That should cut down on their numbers.

Tom writes:

Feral cats ARE wildlife, and those who feed them are legally liable for their care, health and actions. God help you if a feral cat gets rabies and hurts someone and they find out that YOU feed that animal...

This is a good bill.

Karen writes:

The Code of Virginia defines feral cats as companion animals:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+3.2-6500

Waldo Jaquith writes:

This bill wouldn't make anything illegal. It would just add to the roster of things that DGIF gets to regulate in the realm of wildlife.

kimmie writes:

I agee with steve let's have goose 4 dinner :)

MeanPeopleStink writes:

It will never be enforced, just as so many other laws that has passed. There isn't enough manpower to enforce this law. Really, who is going to go and check EVERY back yard to see if the resident is putting down food for wildlife? I'll tell you who...NOBODY, that's who. There are not enough DGIF officers in each jurisdiction to enforce this nonsense. This is an example of how our government wastes time (taxpayers money) sitting around thinking up STUPID junk instead of dealing with the world's real problems.

Eye4anEye writes:

Marian Payne...your comment is so ignorant it is funny. You are worried about goose crap being a health hazard? Oh yeah, silly me...how could I dare to think that pollution and the murder rate in Richmond is more hazardous to one's health than goose droppings? Wow Marian, it is nice to know that Richmond will be like Mayberry once people stop feeding those geese and they just go away...
And "most people" feed them stale bread? How do you know what "most" people do? What'd you do, take a poll?
The truth of the matter is offering food to something that is hungry is an act of kindness. Nobody is feeding them soley to spite you Marian, so why would you have a problem with it? You can't be serious when you speak of a concern for health in relation to their droppings - seriously, anything that eats will poop, would you expect everything else that deficates to stop being fed in hopes that it will just go away as well?
Look deeper than the surface - what you fail to realize is that supporting such ignorance as this bill is supporting the government in stripping compassionate people of doing kind things. The government has already taken away enough of human rights, and idiots like you compel them to continue doing so!