# Virginia HB1697: Fishing with trawl nets and drag nets; shrimp and horseshoe crab; license fee; penalty.

Virginia HB1697, Fishing with trawl nets and drag nets; shrimp and horseshoe crab; license fee; penalty., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Alex Q. Askew (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-18 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0013)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1697-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1697
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Fishing with trawl nets and drag nets; shrimp and horseshoe crab; license fee; penalty.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-04
- Last action: 2025-03-18, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0013)
- Sponsor: Alex Q. Askew (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (221 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## 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 overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Alex Q. Askew (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-14 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 36 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-28 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-22 | House | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 10 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (26)

- 2025-03-18: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0013) (Governor)
- 2025-03-18: Approved by Governor-Chapter 13 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (House)
- 2025-02-22: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1697) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1697ER) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-02-19: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-14: Passed Senate Block Vote (36-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (14-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-01-28: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-27: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2025-01-24: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-22: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-14: Assigned ACNR sub: Chesapeake (House)
- 2025-01-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1697) (House)
- 2025-01-04: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (House)
- 2025-01-04: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25102069D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1070875.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1070874.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054500.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054499.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012706.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012705.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1070875.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1070874.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054500.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054499.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012706.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012705.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1697-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).