©
By Michael Sluss
RICHMOND
The state Senate has advanced legislation that would allow Virginians to hunt on private property on Sundays, setting up a Thursday vote on final passage of the bill.
The Senate voted 25-14 to advance the bill (Senate Bill 464), thwarting an amendment that would have left it to localities to decide whether to allow Sunday hunting in their jurisdictions. The Senate did amend the bill to prohibit hunting within 250 yards of a place of worship on Sundays.
Virginia is one of only 11 states that prohibit or restrict hunting on Sundays. Lawmakers have resisted efforts to roll back the ban in previous sessions, but supporters of Sunday hunting have mounted a well-coordinated effort to lift it in the 2012 General Assembly session. Gov. Bob McDonnell has said he would sign legislation allowing Sunday hunting on private property.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk, received strong support last week in the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee. It would allow Sunday hunting on private property, as long as the hunter owns the land or has written permission from the landowner.
But two senators who voted against it last week took the floor today and urged colleagues to adopt a substitute proposal that would make Sunday hunting a local option for city and county governments.
Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Westmoreland County, said Northam’s bill “will create a conflict amongst the rural jurisdictions and the folks from the metropolitan areas that will cause your phones to ring the likes of which you have never seen.”
“It will cause the sheriff’s offices and the state police offices and everybody else’s offices to be so overwhelmed by the complaints about gunfire on Sunday and hunters hunting around churches and other aspects that, quite frankly, I’m not sure we’re going to be able to deal with the issues that it would create,” said Stuart, an avid hunter who proposed the local-option substitute.
Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Augusta County, said Stuart’s proposal would respect regional and cultural differences across the state.
“The private property interests of those that actually reside in those agricultural areas I think are best addressed by allowing this to be a local decision,” Hanger said.
Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, questioned how Stuart’s proposal would affect landowners with property that straddles localities with different Sunday hunting laws. Sen. Frank Wagner, R-Virginia Beach, said some employees at his shipbuilding company join hunt clubs and lease private land to go hunting, but only have Sundays free.
“I can’t believe that this was even on the books, that this entire General Assembly has been telling people what they can and cannot do on their own private property,” Wagner said.
The Senate advanced Northam’s bill, keeping Stuarts’ substitute from coming up for a vote.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Sunday Hunting
I am a strong supporter of Sunday Hunting. Raised in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. They sit back and laugh and the Hypocrisy. The most regulated sport in Virginia is Stripper Fishing, but I can do it on Sunday. Most people sight in their weapons on Sunday. That is a lot of shooting going on. I'm not Jewish, but if I was I would say no hunting on Saturday. I spent weeks this year never firing a shot, but come Sunday all hell is going to brake lose. Rubbish.. He's an idea. Make those who want to purchase a Sunday permit; like the National Forest Stamp. That would bring in revenue. I have had horseback riders come into my area on a Saturday. 39 States have had harmonious Sunday hunting. Cast out the fear mongers. Virginia Deserves Better!
It used to be nice on Sunday
Sunday was the one day of the week when we could walk through OUR lovely Autumn woods without the fear of being shot. Hunters do not know whose property they hunt on, nor do many of them care. I ran off four truck loads of hunters on Thanksgiving. Called the Sheriff, they were too busy and never showed up.
Sundays used to be nice.
Hunting is Safe on All Days
Statistically, hunting (and competitive and recreational shooting) is among the safest sports. In reality, the "danger" for which you express concern on Sundays is not any different on Saturdays.
Workers in Virginia can't get a day off...
Why should Bambi.
Sunday Hunting
Come On, I don't really like hunting though my Dad and his brothers sure did plenty of it and their sons enjoy it. That being said, to tell someone when they can and cannot hunt especially on their own property is beyond ridiculous. Is this an old archaic law related to Church doctrine and the Commandments about keeping holy the Sabbath? Time for a change which appears to be happening.
Sunday Hunting on Private Property
Ironically, the leading opponent of Sunday hunting is not pastors but the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation which represents many landowners across the Commonwealth. In many ways most landowners want complete control of their property but not when it comes to hunting on Sundays for the state farmers association.