HB 1697 Virginia House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Fishing with trawl nets and drag nets; shrimp and horseshoe crab; license fee; penalty.

Summary
Fishing with trawl nets and drag nets; shrimp and horseshoe crab; license fee; penalty. Allows the Marine Resources Commission to issue licenses or permits to any person to take or catch fish, shellfish, or marine organisms with a trawl net, drag net, or similar device within the three-mile limit of the Virginia Atlantic shoreline for the shrimp and horseshoe crab fisheries. The bill specifies that such license or permit shall be accompanied by a fee of $100 or as subsequently revised by the Commission for each boat so employed. Current law allows any person to fish with trawl nets and drag nets for fish, shellfish, or marine organisms, provided such person has a license issued by the Commission to trawl within the three-mile limit from Cape Charles north to the Maryland line, except during September and October and from 36° 40' north latitude south to the North Carolina line at any time, and from Cape Henry south to 36° 40' north latitude between October 1 and May 1. This bill is identical to SB 933.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 4, 2025 Signed Mar 18, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled → Chaptered · 1 edit
MINOR
This bill enacts HB 1697 into law by converting it from an enrolled bill to a chaptered act. The substantive text of the legislation remains unchanged, with only formatting adjustments made to comply with official publication standards for Virginia Acts of Assembly.
Scope change
No substantive scope or applicability changes; the bill's provisions regarding trawl net and drag net fishing restrictions remain identical to the enrolled version.
TECHNICAL

Formatting adjustments were made to convert the bill from enrolled format to chaptered format, including adding chapter number (Chapter 13), approval date (March 18, 2025), and adjusting line breaks and spacing for official publication.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 13, 2025 · House of Delegates Jan 28, 2025

How they voted

40–0
Passed
Total votes 40
Feb 13, 2025
D Democratic21
21 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
26
Key actions
10
Committee
6
Mar 18, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 13 (Effective 07/01/25)
executive
Feb 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1697ER)
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (36-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (14-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 29, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
upper
Jan 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (99-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 14, 2025
Committee
Assigned ACNR sub: Chesapeake
lower
Jan 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Alex Askew
Alex Askew
DDemocratic
VA
95