We must protect Virginia waters and protect the community from harm we are danger

On behalf of the nearly 10,000 Soldiers and Airmen of the Virginia National Guard, I ask that you support of this bill. This year we are celebrating the one of the busiest years in recent memory. Over two thousand seven hundred Soldiers and Airmen deployed this past year. A total troop count surpassing the height of the Surge in Afghanistan in 2009. Your National Guard was deployed in the Balkans, the Horn of Africa, and throughout the Middle East. Our brave warriors don’t just represent a pair of “Boots on the Ground,” their absence from their families, their careers, and communities are felt by all Virginians. These are not just Soldiers and Airmen. They are our schoolteachers, lawyers, mechanics, truck drivers, police officers, civil servants, and students. They represent the very best of Virginia and have boldly answered our Nation’s call. Without the support of our General Assembly and public servants in the administration, and without the benefits richly deserved and generously afforded to them, we couldn’t do the things this world has demanded of them.

Please I strongly suggest we pass these bills for the betterment of the state and the environment and all community members.

Pls stop all animal experiments and cruelty. Someone has to speak and step up for those who cannot. Pls stop all cruelty Thanks

On behalf of the 10,000 Soldiers, Airmen, and Families of the Virginia National Guard, I ask that you support this bill and report out of committee. Thank you!

GOOD Morning, Chair R. Lee Ware & members of the Committee: By way of introduction, I am Jay L. Marts, 28yr veteran of the VaARNG & US Army, retired Colonel, and honored to speak to this committee today on behalf my brothers & sisters in arms on HB1388. I had the pleasure of visiting the GA last week for several days as a member of the VDVS-JLC and visited Del. Ware’s office to highlight & support several Veterans legislative initiatives. I wanted to tell you that AA Marty Moore & Counsel David Bovenizer were quite courteous and attentive during my visit. I also want to thank my local legislator, Del. Bill Wiley, one of the many Patrons of this, for assisting to move this important initiative thru the GA. Our current members of the National Guard, those local Citizen-Soldiers, serve the Commonwealth and local communities without hesitation when called upon. It is time we provide them additional benefits to show our appreciation. This will help us retain current members and help to recruit new members of the Virginia National Guard. I ask you to move HB1388 out of this committee, thru the floor & ultimately place it on the Governor’s desk for signature. Thank You again for the opportunity to address this committee. Jay L. Marts VDVS-JLC (Alt) AMVETS, Dept. of Virginia (540) 550-3339 MartsJL@GMail.com

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

Declawing can be so painful for cats, and it should be illegal. Cats can see and make sense of the world with their claws. Their claws also help them to defend themselves.

Please support House Bill No. 1388! This bill establishes a Virginia National Guard Passport which removes entrance and parking fees to Virginia's State Parks for actively serving members of the Virginia Army and Air National Guard. The National Guard is unique in the it is the only United States military entity with a dual mission and can serve in state or federal status. National Guard servicemembers currently fulfil operational responsibilities as the primary combat reserve of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. However, because the National Guard is inherently a part-time force, policies should be enacted to ensure robust physical and mental readiness of National Guard Soldiers and Airmen. Servicemembers are required to maintain physical readiness requirements outside of the normal scope of their civilian employment. Many of which require access to venues that allow for varied physical training and exercise. Servicemembers typically only spend time with their units during monthly or annual training events and are geographically dispersed throughout Virginia which limit their access to government furnished equipment and exercise venues. These conditions create a significant gap in the effectiveness of many individual physical training and resiliency programs. Additionally, research has shown that having access to parks, trails and natural areas reduce stress, anxiety and social isolation which tend to be unavoidable in military service. Overall, physical fitness and resiliency continues to be incredibly important across the military and providing access to state parks directly supports the Virginia National Guard’s readiness and deployability. Again, please support House Bill No. 1388.

I am writing in support of HB1388. I would also propose that this bill's language be clarified to cover members of the Virginia Defense Force (VDF) in addition to the Virginia National Guard. The VDF is one of Virginia's military components under the Dept. of Military Affairs. VDF members perform military duties and must maintain height / weight standards. Additionally, a large proportion of VDF members are former US military. Thus, VDF members would benefit both physically and mentally from the health benefits provided by free access to Virginia state parks. Finally, unlike the Virginia National Guard, the VDF is an all-volunteer organization and members are not normally given paid compensation, access to physical training facilities, or health insurance benefits. Free access to state parks would provide a valuable resource for VDF members to improve their physical and mental health. These comments are my views as a private citizen and not in any way on behalf of the VDF or in any official capacity. Thank you.

Pls stop all animal experiments and cruelty. Someone has to speak and step up for those who cannot. Pls stop all cruelty Thanks

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

I demanding that you protect our water stop the mountain valley pipeline from being drilled it will endanger people living there I am begging to protect our waters and lands as so important for endangered species and people. Concerned Citizen Ji Montgomery

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

I strongly support HB 1382 (Gooditis) and urge you to support this important animal protection bill. Declawing surgery is in fact amputation. It cruelly injures cats, depriving them of their natural abilities and defenses. Please vote YES on this humane legislation. I very strongly support HB1527 because TNR is the only effective and humane way to control the overpopulation of cats and kittens in our communities and should be adopted and supported statewide. It's been proven to work, and these animals have caretakers who support the colonies and get treatment for any cats that need it. Attrition will eventually impact the number of homeless animals while providing care for the current ones who present no threat to human health or welfare. Please support this bill. I strongly oppose HB1811 allowing hunters to have a continuous open season on deer. These animals deserve to live and rear their young without the constant threat and stress of being continually hunted. It's been shown that as deer populations increase, the birth rate decreases so it's not necessary to constantly cull herds. Please support this bill to allow deer to have a few months free from constant danger.

HB1811 | Oppose: As someone who enjoys horseback riding through the state, hunting season is always potentially dangerous and difficult to navigate. Perpetually open hunting season would have drastic negative repercussions on the equine industry throughout the state. HB1984 | Oppose: This sounds like a good idea but could create difficulties for people with livestock guardian animals who are already under fire from overzealous animal rights advocates. I would support this bill with more specific language. HB1985 | Support HB1989 | Strongly support HB1998 | Strongly support: Increasing native plant populations is vitally important for the preservation of biodiversity and our pollinator populations. Increasing native plants on public lands is a fantastic use of public resources (when money will be put towards plants or landscaping anyway) and will also serve to increase visibility and awareness. HB2096 | Strongly support: I'm concerned about removing a provision that prohibits movement, etc. of invasive plants but strongly support the remainder of the bill. Many people continue to buy, sell, trade, and plant known invasive plants because they're not officially listed in the state or because uneducated consumers request them. Many business (and arboretums!?!!) continue to carry and sell these plants for the same reasons. The state invasive plant list is woefully out of date. Actually updating and listing invasive plants as such would go a long way towards helping to fix some of these issues. Thank you for taking my comments into consideration

I live in a rural area. During hunting season it is not safe for me and my dog to walk in the woods. I don't feel safe even when walking on my lane during hunting season. We used to have Sundays to safely be in the woods during hunting season. But not any more. The thought of a year round deer hunting season is very distressing to me and my family.

Please do not adopt this bill. My husband and I like to walk along our rural road and through the woods of our property and neighbors' properties who permit us to do so. We cannot do this during deer hunting season for fear of being shot. Deer hunters litter our roads with beer cans, food wrappers and other detritus. Deer hunting season is already quite long, and extending it to all year long will deter other valuable uses of property. My husband and I oppose this bill.

HB1811: As nature lovers we birders love to walk the numerous trails in different natural areas. This walk could be in a neighborhood park, a county park, a WMA or a national park. We would love to exercise our basic right to the outdoors without being worried about getting shot by a hunter. Sundays and the non-hunting season are the days when we don't have to worry about getting shot by hunters. Please do not allow for "continuous open season" - which will deprive us from our birdwatching hobby. I oppose HB1811 and I hope other hobbies/activities in which no lives are taken, no pain is inflected are allowed to thrive without fear of year round gunshots from hunters.

HB 1811 - Our General Assembly is seriously considering a bill that would allow continuous deer-hunting year round? I am opposed to this bill as our lives are disrupted enough during the app. 2 month season we currently have. I like to walk the rural roads where we live, and the quiet reverie of the early morning is tainted often enough with the sounds of shotgun blasts, the baying of the poor dogs being used to flush out the deer (and this is called "hunting"?), the dogs that run across our "no hunting" property because they go wherever they want, and the pickup trucks barreling down the road trying to get to where the dogs are chasing a deer. Instead of increasing deer season, I would be in favor of reducing it to one month at most. I would also like to see a ban on the use of dogs to hunt deer. It is a disservice to the poor dogs, and I can only imagine the terror the deer must feel as a mass of barking dogs chases them out of their habitat to be shot by someone on the side of the road just waiting for one to come close. Another reason to NOT increase deer season is the amount of roadside litter that accumulates when hunters are out. They apparently have no respect for the anti-littering laws that we have. I have an adopt-a-highway stretch that I walk daily, and the amount of extra trash I collect during hunting season is abhorrent. I can not imagine having to collect that amount all year long. I am OPPOSED to this bill going any further and cannot imagine that any intelligent legislator would be in favor of it. HB 1998 - I am IN FAVOR of this bill as I support the use of Virginia's native plants at homes, businesses, and state agencies. HB 2096 - I am IN FAVOR of this bill as I believe we need to do more to rid Virginia of non-native plants and to plant those native to the Commonwealth.

HB1811. Oh Great. We already have to deal with poachers on our land during deer season. I can not walk on my own property during deer season for fear of being shot dead. Now Virginia wants to extend this to 365 days a year. I oppose this bill.

While I understand that the deer population is out of control, I do think this bill should be withdrawn for thoughtful reexamination, with other comments taken into full consideration. It is difficult to enjoy outdoor time in the countryside with the frequent sound of hunters’ and target practicers gunshots. For those who would like to enjoy a peaceful day out in the woods, please include in any proposed bill that increases the length of hunting season that hunting will again be prohibited on Sundays.

To have open season Year round would be a hardship for breeding and birthing season for does. I also do not want to have to worry about being able to hike with my dogs due to people being out with guys.

Please oppose this bill. Other commenters seem to think that HB1811 would only apply to someone hunting on their own private land, but where I live I am surrounded by private property that is hunted by hunt clubs who do not own it. This is common, and the majority of hunters I know don't hunt the land they live on, whether they belong to clubs or not. During deer season, I can't walk my own property without concern for my safety and my family's. We wear blaze orange in our own woods, in spite of the fact that we don't hunt. Hunters' dogs roam freely through our property, but our own dog has to be leashed to avoid altercations. In spite of all this, I have never once asked legislators to ban deer hunting or add regulations. Instead, I simply wait til the season is over and go on about my life. Many in my community do the same, tolerating the season and sighing with relief when it's over. There is no reason to extend the season, and no benefit. Hunters wouldn't have long to hunt year round before the deer population dwindled and their sport ruined. Please, do not pass HB1811.

I urge you to oppose HB1811, regardless of amendments. Because such a significant amount of hunting occurs on private lands anyway, a private lands amendment does not negate the dangers this bill would cause, both to the wildlife population and to those of us who live near hunted properties. This bill would harm the property rights of those of us living near hunted properties, as we would no longer have any way to prepare for when hunting will occur: when hunting dogs will inevitably end up on our property, threatening our livestock, and when we need to avoid being mistaken for game. Property lines are not respected by bullets, dogs, and many (though certainly not all) hunters. We have always respected the hunting seasons - we should be returned the same respect and should not be forced to worry about these things for 12 months out of the year. More importantly, this bill totally ignores the necessary cycles of wildlife and would result in the decimation of the deer population, making deer hunting all but impossible within a certain amount of time. Any hunter that was taught the natural lifecycles of wildlife and raised to respect wildlife would oppose this bill.

As a United States citizen and taxpayer I would support the right to hunt and harvest game on my own property for my family's consumption.

People should be able to hunt their own land and that not be an issue. Hunters are great environmentalists: these are not the people who shoot elephants, but the ones who eat what they kill and/or donate meat to the butchers' for the homeless. We not only have hunters nearby but also a butcher who will process them so those who aren't able to afford the price of meat can have some. Not everyone has a WMA that they can hunt.

HB1406 a individual should not be required to pay a tax for an animal. It's not required of reptile, aquatic, or livestock owners and it shouldn't be required of dog and cat owners. HB1811 This bill sounds like it was recommended by a city neighborhood that is tired of having their flowers eaten by deer but don't want people hunting on their property. Wildlife have a specific time of the year to procreate and have babies based on mother nature's cycle. In the early years of this country there was a continuous Open season and it almost led to the extinction of deer. This bill would be a great idea if we are looking to eradicate deer from the state of Virginia as they nearly were 200 years ago. HB2297 this bill will allow continued improvement in the cattle industry.

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

Whoever came up with this bill has no clue about wildlife. Hunting seasons are implemented for a reason! During hunting season, deer are stirred up and you see a huge increase in traffic collisions involving deer. The deer population needs a chance to settle and replenish before you begin hunting again the following year. I oppose this bill!

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I demanding that you protect our water stop the mountain valley pipeline from being drilled it will endanger people living there I am begging to protect our waters and lands as so important for endangered species and people. Concerned Citizen Ji Montgomery

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

The Virginia Cattlemens Association supports HB 1660 and HB 1848. There 25,000 cattle producers across the Commonwealth and along with dairy contribute almost 700 million dollars a year to the economy. Both HB 1660 and HB 1848 are focused on efficient agricultural producers and provide support and help to keep family farms viable and sustainable.

I demanding that you protect our water stop the mountain valley pipeline from being drilled it will endanger people living there I am begging to protect our waters and lands as so important for endangered species and people. Concerned Citizen Ji Montgomery

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

I demanding that you protect our water stop the mountain valley pipeline from being drilled it will endanger people living there I am begging to protect our waters and lands as so important for endangered species and people. Concerned Citizen Ji Montgomery

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

Please see attached marked

What a kind thoughtful thing to do, provide wheelchairs so everyone can enjoy our wonderful parks. Patty

I demanding that you protect our water stop the mountain valley pipeline from being drilled it will endanger people living there I am begging to protect our waters and lands as so important for endangered species and people. Concerned Citizen Ji Montgomery

The Piedmont Environmental Council is aware of an increase in transmission line expansion and new transmission line corridor planning. The total amount of new land disturbance may be substantial, with hundreds of miles of rights of way and a corresponding amount of new service roads under construction. Very often, transmission lines rights of way go straight up and down steep terrain, which increases the chances for erosion. This amendment to the statute reduces the site specific review of those roads and the potential impacts.

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

I oppose this bill because utility companies should absolutely be required to obtain a permit for the discharge of storm water from construction activities. This allows the Commonwealth to keep track of where toxic runoff is coming from and what toxins are present in said runoff.

What a kind thoughtful thing to do, provide wheelchairs so everyone can enjoy our wonderful parks. Patty

I demanding that you protect our water stop the mountain valley pipeline from being drilled it will endanger people living there I am begging to protect our waters and lands as so important for endangered species and people. Concerned Citizen Ji Montgomery

It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice

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