Bill Text: VA HB564 | 2018 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Hunting apparel; hunting from an enclosed blind, displaying solid blaze orange or solid blaze pink.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2018-03-05 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0151) [HB564 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2018-HB564-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §29.1-530.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§29.1-530.1. Solid blaze orange or solid blaze pink clothing required at certain times.
A. For the purposes of this section, "solid blaze orange" means a safety orange or fluorescent orange hue and "solid blaze pink" means a safety pink or fluorescent pink hue.
B. During any firearms deer season, except during the
special season for hunting deer with a muzzle-loading rifle only, in counties
and cities designated by the Board, every hunter and every person accompanying
a hunter shall (i) wear a solid blaze orange or solid blaze pink
hat, except that the bill or brim of the hat may be a color or design other
than solid blaze orange or solid blaze pink, or solid blaze
orange or solid blaze pink upper body clothing that is visible from 360
degrees or, (ii) display at least 100 square inches of solid
blaze orange or solid blaze pink material at shoulder level within body
reach visible from 360 degrees, or (iii) when hunting from an enclosed ground
blind, display at least 100 square inches of solid blaze orange or solid
blaze pink material visible from 360 degrees attached to or immediately above a
blind.
B. C. During the special season for hunting deer
with a muzzle-loading rifle only, in counties and cities designated by the
Board, every muzzleloader deer hunter and every person accompanying a
muzzleloader deer hunter shall wear (i) wear a solid blaze
orange or solid blaze pink hat, except that the bill or brim of the hat
may be a color or design other than solid blaze orange or solid blaze
pink, or (ii) solid blaze orange or solid blaze pink upper body
clothing, either of which shall be visible from 360 degrees, unless such
person is physically located in a tree stand or other stationary hunting
location.
C. D. Any person violating the provisions of
this section shall, upon conviction, pay a fine of $25.
D. E. Violations of this section shall not be
admissible in any civil action for personal injury or death as evidence of
negligence, contributory negligence, or assumption of the risk.
E. F. This section shall not apply when (i)
hunting waterfowl from stationary or floating blinds, (ii) hunting waterfowl
over decoys, (iii) hunting waterfowl in wetlands as defined in §28.2-1300,
(iv) hunting waterfowl from a boat or other floating conveyance, (v) hunting
doves, (vi) participating in hunting dog field trials permitted by the Board of
Game and Inland Fisheries, (vii) on horseback while hunting foxes with hounds
but without firearms, or (viii) hunting with a bow and arrow in areas where the
discharge of firearms is prohibited by state law or local ordinance.
