Committee advances House Bill 4176 to bar senior 'class X' licensees from special youth deer seasons

The West Virginia Senate Natural Resource Committee voted to report the engrossed committee substitute for House Bill 4176 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass.

Committee counsel explained that the bill amends wildlife-resources provisions governing issuance of a "class X" license (described in the transcript as a senior citizen lifetime hunting, fishing and trapping license) by eliminating the current provision that allows that licensee to participate in special youth deer seasons. Counsel said the change would remove that allowance; the bill does not, on its face, expand youth or special-needs hunting privileges.

The Senator from Greenbrier asked whether the bill would expand opportunities for youth or for individuals with special needs to harvest a buck deer; counsel replied "No," clarifying the bill only removes the class X licensee’s participation in the special youth season rather than broadening youth access.

After brief clarification and a procedural exchange about the committee substitute language, the vice chair moved to report the engrossed committee substitute to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass. The committee adopted the motion by voice vote and the chair declared the motion adopted. The committee did not record any amendments or a roll-call tally in the transcript.