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HOUSE BILL NO. 1396
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
on February 24, 2026)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Martinez)
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
29.1-516.3
, relating to Department of Wildlife Resources; permits; use of dogs in hunting game animals, fur-bearing animals, and nuisance species; civil penalties.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
29.1-516.3
as follows:
§
29.1-516.3
. Permit required for the use of dogs in hunting game animals, fur
-
bearing
animals
, and nuisance species
; civil penalties
.
A. The Department shall
establish
a permit
for
person
s and
a
permit for
organizations that hunt game animals, fur
-
bearing
animals
, or nuisance species with the aid of dogs.
Applications
for new and renewed
permits shall be on a form prescribed by the
Board
and shall include a fee of $19
.
The
Board
shall promulgate regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section
,
including (i)
permit issuance procedures
;
(ii) criteria for permit
enforcement,
revocation
,
or suspension
;
(iii) standards for dog identification
;
(iv) conditions under which exemptions
to the requirements of this subsection may be granted
;
(v) the implementation of practices th
at
prevent
a hunting dog
from
entering onto real property
on
which the permit holder does not have written
or verbal
permission
to
hunt
;
(vi) pen
alties for violations of this section
; and (vii) best practices that foster effective written and verbal agreements between permit holders and landowners
.
B
.
Beginning July 1, 2027, i
t is unlawful for any person
to
(i)
release a dog to hunt, pursue, or chase any game animal, fur
-
bearing
animal
, or nuisance species on any tract of real property
or (ii) engage in hunting any game animal, fur
-
bearing
animal
, or nuisance species with the aid of any dog
unless
such person has been issued a permit
to hunt with dogs by the Department.
C
. The provisions of subsection B shall not apply to
(i)
any
person or
organization
e
ngaged in mounted fox hunting;
(
ii
)
any person or organization
engaged in hunting waterfowl,
migrator
y birds, or upland game birds;
(
iii
)
any person or organization
using a tracking dog
to retrieve a wounded or dead bear, turkey, or deer pursuant to §
29.1-516.1
; (
iv
)
any person or organization
whose dog remains in the immediate visual presence and control of
such
person
or organization
, regardless of the species of animal that is otherwise being lawfully pursued
; (
v
)
any person or organization
on public lands where hunting is allowed
;
(
vi
)
any person or organization
participating in a
rabbit
chase foot pack
;
or
(vii) landowners and their spouses, children, and grandchildren within the boundaries of their land
.
D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any activity authorized under §
18.2-136
.
E.
Any person who violates the provisions of
this section
, regulations
promulgated
pursuant to
this section
, or
the conditions of any permit issued pursuant to
this section
is subject to a civil penalty of
(i)
no more than $50
for a first
violation
and
(ii)
no less than $100
but no more than $250 for
a second or
s
ubse
quent
violation within three years.
The proceeds of such civil penalties shall be deposited into the Game Protection Fund established
pursuant to
§
29.1-101
. The Board shall
, in promulgating regulations pursuant to subsection A,
require
permit suspension or revocation in the instance of repeat violations.
2. That the Board of Wildlife Resources shall adopt regulations to define the term "rabbit chase foot pack" as used in clause (vi) of subsection C of §
29.1-516.3
of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act.