Bill Text: CT HB05304 | 2012 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Training And Authority Of Certain Constables Appointed For Fish And Game Protection.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Vetoed) 2012-06-15 - Vetoed by the Governor [HB05304 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2012-HB05304-Introduced.html

General Assembly

 

Raised Bill No. 5304

February Session, 2012

 

LCO No. 1370

 

*01370_______ENV*

 

Referred to Committee on Environment

 

Introduced by:

 

(ENV)

 

AN ACT CONCERNING CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS PAID IN LIEU OF FINES FOR HUNTING AND FISHING VIOLATIONS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2012) (a) The court may, in the disposition of any case concerning an alleged violation of any provision of title 26 of the general statutes concerning hunting or inland waters fishing, including a dismissal or the imposition of a sentence, consider the fact that the defendant has made a monetary contribution to the Turn In Poachers account established under section 2 of this act.

(b) In entering a nolle prosequi, the state's attorney, assistant state's attorney or deputy assistant state's attorney in charge of the case may consider the fact that the defendant has made a monetary contribution to the Turn In Poachers account established under section 2 of this act.

(c) A monetary contribution made by a defendant to the Turn In Poachers account as provided in this section may be paid to either the clerk of the court or the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. The clerk or the commissioner shall immediately transmit all contributions received under this section to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Turn in Poachers account.

Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2012) There is established an account to be known as the "Turn In Poachers account" which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account and any funds received from any public or private contributions, gifts, grants, donations, bequests or devises to the account. Moneys in the account shall be expended by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to provide grants to the Turn in Poachers nonprofit organization and to staff the department's toll-free hotline that is used by persons to provide information on poaching and other fish and game law violations.

Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2012) (a) The court may, in the disposition of any case concerning an alleged violation of any provision of title 26 of the general statutes concerning marine waters fishing, including a dismissal or the imposition of a sentence, consider the fact that the defendant has made a monetary contribution to the Lobster Restoration account established under section 4 of this act.

(b) In entering a nolle prosequi, the state's attorney, assistant state's attorney or deputy assistant state's attorney in charge of the case may consider the fact that the defendant has made a monetary contribution to the Lobster Restoration account established under section 4 of this act.

(c) A monetary contribution made by a defendant to the Lobster Restoration account as provided in this section may be paid to either the clerk of the court or the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. The clerk or the commissioner shall immediately transmit all contributions received under this section to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Lobster Restoration account.

Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2012) There is established an account to be known as the "Lobster Restoration account" which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account and any funds received from any public or private contributions, gifts, grants, donations, bequests or devises to the account. Moneys in the account shall be expended by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection for the purposes of the lobster restoration program established under section 26-157d of the general statutes.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1

July 1, 2012

New section

Sec. 2

July 1, 2012

New section

Sec. 3

July 1, 2012

New section

Sec. 4

July 1, 2012

New section

Statement of Purpose:

To provide funding for the Turn In Poachers program and the lobster restoration program.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]

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