Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb4286%20intr.htm&yr=2014&sesstype=RS&i=4286
Timestamp: 2018-04-23 13:48:59
Document Index: 381588733

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

HB 4286 Text
Introduced Version House Bill 4286 History
H. B. 4286
(By Delegates Williams, Tomblin, R. Phillips,
Eldridge, Hartman, Sponaugle, Walker, Pino,
Craig, Miller and Anderson)
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; creating the Captive Cervid Farming Act; setting forth powers and duties of the Department of Agriculture; authorizing rule-making; setting forth duties and obligation of the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture; establishing an application process; permitting the issuance, renewal, modification and transfer of a license certificate; requiring the inspection of facilities; permitting the transition of current facilities; providing for noncompliance with article; and establishing remedies and criminal penalties.
“Bio-security” means measures, actions or precautions taken to prevent the transmission of disease in, among or between free-ranging and captive cervids.
“Captive cervid’s or “captive cervids” means members of the Cervidae family of animals including, but not limited to, fallow deer, red deer, white-tail deer, axis deer, elk, moose, reindeer and caribou which are domesticated animals under the control of the owner of the animal.
“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.
“Department” means the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.
“Identification system” means a process or procedure that allows an individual cervid to be continuously recognized as a unique animal throughout its lifetime.
“License” means the authorization issued by the department for the operation of a captive cervid farming facility.
“Licensed captive cervid farming facility” means the specific fenced area and all equipment and components therein approved by the department for use as a captive cervid farming operation, but not including zoos accredited under the American Zoological Association, other petting zoos or roadside menageries licensed under section fifty-two, article two, chapter twenty of this code, or backyard enclosures containing less than one acre of fenced area and having captive cervids located there for public or private viewing.
“Owner” means the person who owns or operates a licensed captive cervid farming facility.
“Person” means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, joint venture or other legal entity.
“Release” means to allow a cervid from a licensed captive cervid farming facility to be outside the perimeter fence of that licensed captive cervid farming facility without being under the direct control of the owner or his or her agent.
(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 proposed by the commissioner before September 1, 2014, may be by emergency rule.
(d) "Nontraditional agriculture" means the production of animals domesticated from wild stock, either native or nonnative, and are being confined, bred, and/or fed for domestic purposes, except that white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and all its subspecies shall not be included including privately owned cervid and all its subspecies that are kept pursuant to article two-h of this chapter; aquaculture; or other agricultural products as defined in this article.
No (a) 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 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 Additionally, 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.
(2) Privately-owned cervid or any of its subspecies that are kept pursuant to article two-h, chapter nineteen of this code.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to regulate captive cervid farming as an agricultural enterprise in this state. Toward this purpose, the bill describes powers and duties of the Department of Agriculture. The bill provides for rule-making authority. The bill sets forth duties and obligations of the commissioner. The bill provides for an application process. The bill provides for the issuance, renewal, modification, and transfer of a license certificate. The bill provides for inspection of facilities. The bill provides for the transition of current facilities. The bill addresses noncompliance with article and provides for certain criminal penalties and remedies due to noncompliance.
Article 2H is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.