A long-debated Virginia law banning hunting on public lands on Sunday may soon be a thing of the past.
Virginia is one of a few states on the East Coast that prohibits hunting on public lands on Sunday, a ban that dates back to 1643, when lawmakers created “blue laws” to protect the Christian Sabbath.
Now, both chambers of Virginia’s General Assembly have passed Senate Bill 8, introduced by Sen. Chap Petersen, a Fairfax County Democrat.
The bill now heads to Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican.
In 2014, Virginia took a first step toward dropping its restriction on Sunday hunting, when the General Assembly allowed it on private lands. The compromise drew criticism. Some said it favored the wealthy, who owned land on which they could hunt.
Virginia blue laws, which prohibited some stores from opening on Sundays were struck down by the state’s Supreme Court in 1988. However, some favored maintaining the Sunday hunting ban on religious grounds.
Proponents of the change pointed out that Virginians can now buy tobacco, alcohol, hard liquor, lottery tickets, gamble, go to breweries, see live music and even fish on Sundays.
If Youngkin signs the bill, it would go into effect July 1.
