# West Virginia SB 721: Authorizing use of unmanned aerial vehicles to track certain mortally wounded wild animals

West Virginia SB 721, Authorizing use of unmanned aerial vehicles to track certain mortally wounded wild animals, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bill Hamilton (Republican); status failed, last action 2025-03-26 (House received Senate message) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB721-2025rs
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: West Virginia SB 721
- State: West Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Authorizing use of unmanned aerial vehicles to track certain mortally wounded wild animals
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-03-06
- Last action: 2025-03-26, House received Senate message
- Sponsor: Bill Hamilton (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: §20-2-5J, §61-10-34, House Government Organization
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 1 (34 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bill Hamilton (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Craig A. Hart (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Darren Thorne (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-25 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 170) | pass | 34 | 0 |   |

## Actions (18)

- 2025-03-26: House received Senate message (House)
- 2025-03-26: Introduced in House (House)
- 2025-03-26: To Government Organization (House)
- 2025-03-26: To House Government Organization (House)
- 2025-03-25: On 3rd reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-25: Read 3rd time (Senate)
- 2025-03-25: Passed Senate (Roll No. 170) (Senate)
- 2025-03-25: Ordered to House (Senate)
- 2025-03-24: On 2nd reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-24: Read 2nd time (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: On 1st reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: Read 1st time (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: Committee substitute reported, but first to Judiciary (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: 2nd reference dispensed (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Filed for introduction (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: To Natural Resources then Judiciary (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Introduced in Senate (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: To Natural Resources (Senate)

## Bill text

- Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb721 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb721 sub1.pdf)
- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb721 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb721 intr.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB 2451: To facilitate the creation of home-based businesses (signed)
- SB 464: Creating license plate for recipients of Medal of Valor (signed)
- SB 196: Lauren's Law (signed)
- SB 138: Enhancing penalties for fleeing officer (signed)
- SB 270: Declaring sale and manufacture of firearms essential business during declared emergency (signed)
- SB 617: Discouraging gang activity (signed)

## Sources
- [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb721 sub1.htm)
- [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb721 sub1.pdf)
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb721 intr.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb721 intr.pdf)

## Related
- [HB 2451: To facilitate the creation of home-based businesses](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB2451-2025rs)
- [SB 464: Creating license plate for recipients of Medal of Valor](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB464-2025rs)
- [SB 196: Lauren's Law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB196-2025rs)
- [SB 138: Enhancing penalties for fleeing officer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB138-2025rs)
- [SB 270: Declaring sale and manufacture of firearms essential business during declared e…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB270-2025rs)
- [SB 617: Discouraging gang activity](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB617-2025rs)
- [West Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia/bills)
- [West Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB721-2025rs (as of 2026-10-17).