House Bill 239

Chair's Name: Bob Lane

Committee: Game, Fish & Parks

House Sponsor: Bob Lane

HB 239 updates the term �rules and regulations� to refer to the Board of Natural Resources rules and regulations in effect on January 1, 2007 instead of January 1, 2006.

This bill passed the House under the Open Rule. 

Chairman Lane's opinion of this legislation:

This bill updates certain date references to align Georgia code with dates that exist in rules and regulations adopted by the Georgia Board of Natural Resources.  For example, the Board is authorized to set hunting seasons by rule; as such, it is necessary to periodically re-align the code with the Board's season dates to ensure enforcement of criminal misconduct. This helps properly enforce the criminal laws of the State of Georgia and eliminate loopholes.

THIS LEGISLATION: Insures that the rules and regulations passed by the Board of Natural Resources have the full criminal authority granted in code.

Further Action

The Senate substitute changes the effective date in Section 1 to reflect the passage of time and adds Sections 2 and 3. Section 2 adds language about wallabies and wallaroos, and Section 3 adds language about water buffalo. The House agreed to the Senate Substitute as amended by the House.