By ANDREA LANNOM
The Register-Herald
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Senate Committee on Natural Resources Committee advanced a bill Monday that would allow people to hunt on private property on Sundays with landowner permission.
Senate Bill 345 was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Jason Webb, lobbyist for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, said when legislators originally took the bill there was confusion whether it was public or private land and whether people had to get permission.
It was voted down in 2002 and 14 counties didn’t take a vote on it. Since then, he said 19 counties have reversed that decision and the ballot language was clarified in 2015 to say that it involved private land with landowner permission.
Webb said if passed, Sunday hunting could drive the state’s tourism and economy. He said 42 states allow Sunday hunting on private lands, including neighboring Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia.
Col. Jerry Jenkins, chief of law enforcement for the Department of Natural Resources, also addressed the committee. Lawmakers asked him if this bill were passed whether there would be a need to increase patrols. Jenkins said that would not be necessary because people are already working over the weekend.
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