Bill Text: VA SB141 | 2022 | Regular Session | Chaptered


Bill Title: Boat ramps; removes authorization for Department of Wildlife Resources to charge a fee for use.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2022-04-01 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0033) [SB141 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2022-SB141-Chaptered.html

CHAPTER 33
An Act to amend and reenact §29.1-113 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Wildlife Resources; boat ramp fees.
[S 141]
Approved April 1, 2022
 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §29.1-113 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§29.1-113. Admittance, parking, and use at certain Department-owned facilities or Department-leased land; civil penalty.

A. No person shall make use of, gain admittance to, or attempt to use or gain admittance to any certain Department-owned or Department-managed facility or boat ramp facilities where the Department charges a fee established by the Board pursuant to §29.1-103, unless the person pays such fee. However, such fee shall not apply to (i) any person holding a valid hunting, trapping, or fishing permit or an access permit or current certificate of boat registration issued by the Department; (ii) any person 16 years of age or younger; or (iii) any person who is a passenger in but not the owner or operator of a paddlecraft or registered vessel the use of Department-owned boat ramps.

B. No person shall hunt on private lands managed by the Department through a lease agreement or other similar memorandum of agreement where the Department issues an annual hunting stamp without having purchased a valid annual hunting stamp.

C. Any person violating subsection A or B may, in lieu of any criminal penalty, be assessed a civil penalty of up to $50 by the Department. Civil penalties assessed under this section shall be paid into the Game Protection Fund established pursuant to §29.1-101.

D. No owner or driver shall cause or permit a vehicle to stand:

1. On property owned or managed by the Department outside of a designated parking space, except for a reasonable time in order to receive or discharge passengers or in the case of an emergency;

2. In any designated parking space on property owned or managed by the Department in violation of any posted rule regarding use of the space; or

3. In any space on property owned or managed by the Department designated for use by persons with disabilities unless the vehicle displays a license plate or decal issued by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles, or a similar identification issued by a similar authority of another state or the District of Columbia, that authorizes parking in such a designated space. Notwithstanding the provisions of §29.1-554, any regulation of the Board, or any other trespass provision in the Code of Virginia, no person violating this subsection shall be subject to a criminal penalty. Any person violating this subsection may, in lieu of any criminal penalty, be assessed a civil penalty of $25, which shall be paid into the Game Protection Fund.

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