Senate 844

WEST virginia legislature

2025 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 844

By Senator Rucker

[Reported March 26, 2025, from the Committee on Agriculture]

A BILL to amend and reenact §20-2-47 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to licenses for private game farm for propagating animals and birds for commercial purposes.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.

§20-2-47. License for private game farm for propagating animals and birds for commercial purposes.

(a) The director may issue a license for the operation of a private game preserve for propagation of wild animals and wild birds for commercial purposes. The license shall authorize the holder to breed or raise animals and birds as specified by the license, to sell the same dead or alive, or to sell the eggs of birds in accordance with regulations prescribed by the director.

(b) Application for a license under this section shall designate the property whereon the preserve is to be established. Before the license is issued, the director shall determine that the property is properly enclosed, that the provisions for housing and sanitation are proper and adequate, and that the safety of the public is protected.

(c) The annual license fee shall be $10.

(d) (1) For purposes of this section, domesticated poultry possessed for agricultural purposes are not considered wild birds and are not subject to the licensure requirements for a private game preserve. Any quail or partridge that will be released into the wild are not possessed for agricultural purposes and are not exempt from said licensure requirements.

(2) As used in this subsection:

(A) "Domesticated poultry" means non-native quail or partridge.

(B) "Agricultural purposes" means use of domesticated poultry for purposes including, but not limited to, meat and egg production, propagation for meat and egg production, and sales for meat and egg production.