Black vultures; control of those that pose danger to agricultural animals, etc. (SB37)
Introduced By
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
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Passed Committee |
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Passed House |
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Passed Senate |
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Signed by Governor |
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Became Law |
Description
Black vultures; killing not prohibited by state law. Directs the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to adopt regulations exempting the black vulture (Coragyps atratus) from the prohibition against taking or possessing a wildlife species that is not classified as game, furbearer, or nuisance. The bill also prohibits the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (the Department) from devoting any state resources to the enforcement of provisions of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act the regulations adopted thereunder by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that protect the black vulture. In addition, the bill allows the Department to continue to participate in federally permitted black vulture studies and management programs, including obtaining or supporting the issuance of federal migratory bird depredation permits to allow, in some cases, the killing of black vultures. Read the Bill »
Outcome
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 12/15/2015 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16 16100615D |
| 12/15/2015 | Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources |
| 01/21/2016 | Impact statement from DPB (SB37) |
| 01/21/2016 | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitite (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
| 01/21/2016 | Committee substitute printed 16104253D-S1 |
| 01/25/2016 | Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
| 01/26/2016 | Read second time |
| 01/26/2016 | Reading of substitute waived |
| 01/26/2016 | Committee substitute agreed to 16104253D-S1 |
| 01/26/2016 | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB37S1 |
| 01/27/2016 | Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 1-N) (see vote tally) |
| 01/27/2016 | Impact statement from DPB (SB37S1) |
| 02/03/2016 | Placed on Calendar |
| 02/03/2016 | Read first time |
| 02/03/2016 | Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources |
| 02/08/2016 | Assigned ACNR sub: Natural Resources |
| 02/10/2016 | Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N) |
| 02/17/2016 | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
| 02/18/2016 | Read second time |
| 02/19/2016 | Read third time |
| 02/19/2016 | Passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N) |
| 02/19/2016 | VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
| 02/22/2016 | Enrolled |
| 02/22/2016 | Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB37ER) |
| 02/22/2016 | Impact statement from DPB (SB37ER) |
| 02/22/2016 | Signed by President |
| 02/22/2016 | Signed by Speaker |
| 02/22/2016 | Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/22/16 |
| 02/22/2016 | G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, February 29, 2016 |
| 02/29/2016 | G Approved by Governor-Chapter 59 (effective 7/1/16) |
| 02/29/2016 | G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0059) |
Comments
I'd sure like an explanation about what this is all about.
Someone in Carrico's district needs to find out what this is about by writing the legislator.
This is just foolish. Does the Senator plan to clean up carrion when the vultures are no longer around to do the job for free? Does he think dead animals evaporate?
I have hunted my entire adult life and can't understand why one would want to kill one of the road side clean up crew? What would you do with it? I hope who ever formulated this and actually submitted it for consideration is not breeding.
Black Vultures are protected under Migratory Bird Treaty Act which is an international agreement that the US signed. There are permit processes already in place to selectively control animals that are doing harm. This bill circumvents the treaty and the existing process. This bill needs to be voted down.
I wrote to Senator Carrico and to every one of the 15 members of the committee and not one person had the decency to respond. This bill is being pushed along under the public radar. I hope anyone who can help publicize it and its problems will do so. Thanks ever so much!
I oversee the journalism students who write for VCU's Capital News Service, and we're interested in doing a story about this issue. Could we talk to some of the folks who've commented about this bill -- so we can include your concerns in the story? Carolyn, MEM, DEY, Marlene -- could you email me at jcsouth@vcu.edu? Thanks in advance for your help.
Did some Googling, and unlike our regular Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures will attack baby calves and sheep, pecking out their eyes first, then swarming them.
Search for Washington Post stories on vultures and Leesburg, Va., pops up with stories of vulture issues.
Also our Dept. of Inland Game has a webpage on vulture problems in Chesterfield County:
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/dutch-gap-black-vulture-management/
While I don't believe we should condemn all Black Vultures due to their indelicate personal hygiene issues or property and livestock damage, I doubt occasional culling of the population will disrupt the biome.