Hunting; knowingly trespassing while carrying a firearm, penalty. (HB172)

Introduced By

Del. Manoli Loupassi (R-Richmond)

Progress

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

Description

Hunting; knowingly trespassing while carrying a firearm; penalty.  Prohibits hunting without permission or authority, while carrying a firearm, on land where the hunter knows a No Trespassing sign is posted or where the hunter should know entry is prohibited. In addition to being punishable by a fine of $500 to $1,000, a conviction for a violation allows the court trying the case to revoke the hunter's license for one year and to order the forfeiture of any weapon used in the violation. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/09/2012Committee
01/09/2012Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/12 12102116D
01/09/2012Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
01/18/2012Impact statement from DPB (HB172)
01/30/2012Assigned ACNRsub: Natural Resources
02/01/2012Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
02/14/2012Left in Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

Comments

Joyce MIller writes:

Sir, We are very sorry that HB172 failed. This bill would help the land owners that live in hell, as we do, during deer hunting season. We caught one of the many last year who came to us posing as someone interested in buying property,so we showed him the property lines etc. He was found later hunting up a tree 25 feet away from some young people were riding their horses. His attorney wrote a letter to the magistrate giving false information as an effort to block any effort we made to file a complaint prior to the game warden and I filing the complaint. He was found guilty in District court, fined 100.00, but he appealed to to the Circuit court. The judges, we were told by the commonwealth attorney, do not take these kinds of violations serious and usually dismiss them, which is what happened in the Circuit Court. Now the man is suing us for 700.000 dollars for malicious prosecution. We found out that the game warden stopped him that morning prior to him being caught by us. Now we wonder if we will loose our farm. The hunter is a PA. resident and comes here to hunt.

If there is a lesson to be gleaned for the legislature is that you can make laws, but if the judges do not perceive them as important this story will be repeated. Please try again to pass this type of protection for the land owners.Joyce Miller