On Thursday, January 24, Senate Bill 617 passed out of full Senate with a 69-0 vote. Senate Bill 617 will establish an "apprentice" hunter-licensing program allowing new hunters to hunt accompanied by an experienced licensed hunter in the field without being required to take a Hunters Education class beforehand. Also, Senate Bill 708 will require the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to incorporate into their regulations urban archery rules consistent with game preserve and controlled shooting operations. The full Senate will hear SB708 in the coming days.
Please contact your Senator today at (804) 698-7410, and thank him or her for passing SB617 and strongly encourage him or her to support Virginia's proud hunting heritage by voting for SB708! If you need help finding your state legislator please click here.