Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=SB421%20SUB1.htm&yr=2012&sesstype=RS&i=421
Timestamp: 2018-02-19 04:44:27
Document Index: 758747094

Matched Legal Cases: ['§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§20', '§20', '§20']

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §19-2H-1, §19-2H-2, §19-2H-3, §19-2H-4, §19-2H-5, §19-2H-6, §19-2H-7, §19-2H-8, §19-2H-9, §19-2H-10, §19-2H-11, §19-2H-12, §19-2H-13, §19-2H-14 and §19-2H-15; to amend and reenact §19-29-2 of said code; to amend and reenact §20-1-2 of said code; and to amend and reenact §20-2-11 and §20-2-12 of said code, all relating to regulating captive cervid farming as an agricultural enterprise in this state; stating the powers and duties of the Department of Agriculture; promulgating rules; establishing the duties and obligation of the commissioner; creating an application process; issuing, renewing, modifying and transferring license certificates; inspecting facilities; transitioning current facilities to new licensure procedures; creating penalties for noncompliance with article; amending Division of Natural Resources laws relating to captive cervids; and providing for certain criminal penalties and remedies.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the Captive Cervid Farming Act.
(a) The commissioner shall propose legislative rules in accordance with article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code as are necessary to provide for implementation and enforcement of this article. Any rules promulgated by the commissioner before September 1, 2012, may be by emergency rule.
(c) The rules promulgated under this section shall include specific requirements which shall:
(6) Regulate the movement of captive cervids and provide for maintenance of documentation of the origin and destination of all shipments and any other documentation required under the animal industry laws of this state; and
(7) Make and enter into all agreements and do all acts necessary or incidental to the performance of duties and the exercise of powers under this article.
(6) The method of verification that all wild deer species have been removed;
(1) Class one license. –- For a facility to be used only for breeding and propagation of cervids for sale to others – $750; or
(2) Class two license. -- For facilities from which cervids will be harvested - $1,500.
(f) The department shall retain the license fee or any portion of the license fee to an applicant if a license is denied.
(c) The sale or transfer of ownership of a captive cervid farming facility will not operate to transfer the license. The department may issue a new license to the transferee if all license requirements are met and a new license fee is paid.
(a) A captive cervid farming facility in existence on the effective date of this article may continue operation under its existing authorization until the department acts on its application for a license under this article: Provided, That the owner of that facility makes application for a license under this article within sixty days after application forms are available from the department.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the law to the contrary, an owner or an owner’s customer harvesting captive cervids from a licensed captive cervid farming facility is not subject to any possession limits laws, closed season laws or hunting license requirements. A license under this article does not give the licensee any right to take wild deer unless it is done pursuant to a permit issued by the Division of Natural Resources.
(c) A person may not cause the entry or introduction of wild deer into a captive cervid farming facility.
(d) Any person who violates subsection (a) or (b) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall, for a first offense, be confined in jail for not more than ninety days, or fined not more than $300 or both fined and confined. Any person who violates subsection (a) or (b) for a second or subsequent offense is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for not more than one year, or fined not more than $1,000 or both fined and confined.
(e) Notwithstanding subsection (d) of this section, any person who intentionally or knowingly violates subsection (a), (b) or (c) of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility not less than one nor more than three years, or fined not more than $1,000 or both fined and imprisoned.
"Game animals" include:(a) The elk; (b) the deer; (c) the cottontail rabbits and hares; (d) the fox squirrels, commonly called red squirrels, and gray squirrels and all their color phases - red, gray, black or albino; (e) the raccoon; (f) the black bear; and (g) the wild boar. The term “game animals” does not include privately owned cervid and all its subspecies that are kept pursuant to article two-h, chapter nineteen of this code.
"Preserve" means all duly licensed private game farmlands, or private plants, ponds or areas, where hunting or fishing is permitted under special licenses or seasons other than the regular public hunting or fishing seasons. The term “preserve” does not include privately owned lands that are kept pursuant to article two-h, chapter nineteen of this code.
"Wild animals" means all mammals native to the State of West Virginia occurring either in a natural state or in captivity, except house mice or rats. The term “wild animals” does not include privately owned cervid and all its subspecies that are kept pursuant to article two-h, chapter nineteen of this code.
"Wild birds" shall include all birds other than:(a) Domestic poultry - chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, peafowls and turkeys; (b) psittacidae, commonly called parrots and parakeets; and (c) other foreign cage birds such as the common canary, exotic finches and ring dove. All wild birds, either:(I) Those occurring in a natural state in West Virginia; or (ii) those imported foreign game birds, such as waterfowl, pheasants, partridges, quail and grouse, regardless of how long raised or held in captivity, shall remain wild birds under the meaning of this chapter.
"Wildlife" means wild birds, wild animals, game and fur-bearing animals, fish (including minnows), reptiles, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans and all forms of aquatic life used as fish bait, whether dead or alive. The term “wildlife” does not include privately owned cervid and all its subspecies that are kept pursuant to article two-h, chapter nineteen of this code.
(a) No A person, except those legally licensed to operate private game preserves for the purpose of propagating game for commercial purposes and those legally licensed to propagate or sell fish, amphibians and other forms of aquatic life, shall may not purchase or offer to purchase, sell or offer to sell, expose for sale or have in his or her possession for the purpose of sale any wildlife, or part thereof, which has been designated as game animals, fur-bearing animals, game birds, game fish or amphibians, or any of the song or insectivorous birds of the state, or any other species of wildlife which the director may designate, Provided, That except for privately owned cervid and all its subspecies that are kept pursuant to the provisions of article two-h, chapter nineteen of this code. However, pelts of game or fur-bearing animals taken during the legal season may be sold and live red and gray foxes and raccoon taken by legal methods during legal and established trapping seasons may be sold within the state. Provided, however, That In addition, the hide, head, antlers and feet of a legally killed deer and the hide, head and skull of a legally killed black bear may be sold.
(c) A person violating the provisions of who violates this section by transporting or possessing with the intention of transporting beyond the limits of this state deer or wild boar shall be deemed considered to have committed a separate offense for each animal so transported or possessed. This section does not apply to privately owned cervid or any of its subspecies that are kept pursuant to article two-h, chapter nineteen of this code.
(NOTE: Article 2H is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.