Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §29.1-200 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§29.1-200. Appointment of conservation police officers.

A. The Director shall appoint regular and special conservation police officers as he may deem necessary to enforce the game and inland fish laws and shall issue a certificate of appointment to each conservation police officer. Any special conservation police officer initially appointed after October 1, 2009, shall have a valid registration as a Special Conservator of the Peace from the Department of Criminal Justice Services.

B. All appointments to sworn law-enforcement positions above the rank of conservation police officer within the Department shall be made by the Director of the Department from among the sworn conservation police officers, except for those positions designated in subdivision 20 of §2.2-2905, or whenever the Director determines, in writing, that a position requires knowledge, skills, or abilities such that a sufficient pool of qualified candidates does not exist within the Department.