Mark Taylor is outdoors editor at The Roanoke Times.

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Mark Taylor

Outdoors coverage

• Sportsman's Warehouse ready to reopen in Roanoke
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• DGIF gets permission to restock staff at fish hatcheries
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The Wild Life blog

• Jay Honse with his nice black bear
• Confirmed: Sportsman’s Warehouse returning to Roanoke
• Turning the talk to fishing, and possible regs changes
• More from Mark's blog

Proposed legislation that would mandate on-water patrols on some lakes moved to the House of Delegates this week after a near-unanimous approval in the Senate.

Senate Bill 1197 would require that at least one game warden be on patrol during daylight hours during boating season - from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend - on lakes the size of Smith Mountain Lake and larger, or on waters that have boating accident rates comparable to Smith Mountain Lake.

Smith Mountain Lake's boating accident rate is annually the highest in Virginia. The past three years the lake has been responsible for about 20 percent of Virginia's boating accidents.

The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries reduced on-water patrols at Smith Mountain Lake and other waters the past couple of years in response to cuts in boating-related revenue provided to the department.

Developments in other outdoors-related bills:

House Bill 1646: The House unanimously approved this bill, which would require certain hunters to carry proof of completing their hunter education requirements. The bill closes a loophole that enabled hunters who purchased licenses electronically to do so without showing necessary proof of completing a hunter education course.

House Bill 1827: This bill that would allow non-profit organizations to sell wildlife mounts for fund-raising efforts is now being considered by the Senate after unanimous passage in the House.

House Bill 2026: This bill sought to require coaches of certain water sports to wear personal flotation devices while operating motorboats. It was defeated in committee.

House Bill 2102: The Senate is now reviewing this bill, which would exempt bowhunters from wearing blaze orange in areas where firearms deer hunting is not allowed. The bill passed the House by a 78-20 vote.

House Bill 2200: This bill, which would allow the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to legalize crossbows for hunting by able-bodied hunters, flew through the House with a 98-0 vote. It is now being reviewed by a Senate committee.

House Bill 2887: This bill would require waterfowl hunters to purchase a state-produced duck stamp in addition to the hunting licenses and federal waterfowl stamp now required. The stamp would cost $9.75, which includes a 75-cent fee for the issuing license agent.

Although this bill has angered some duck and goose hunters, the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee had no problems with it, moving it on to the House floor with a vote of 22-0.