Bill Text: MS HB258 | 2022 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Harvest reporting program; require the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to create for white-tailed deer and wild turkey.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Failed) 2022-03-01 - Died In Committee [HB258 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2022-HB258-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2022 Regular Session
To: Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
By: Representatives Morgan, Hale
House Bill 258
(As Passed the House)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-26, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS TO CREATE AN ELECTRONIC HARVEST REPORTING PROGRAM FOR WHITE-TAILED DEER AND WILD TURKEY; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROGRAM SHALL BE SIMPLE TO USE BY SPORTSMEN SO AS TO PROMOTE COMPLIANCE AND ACCURATE REPORTING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 49-7-26, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
49-7-26. (1) (a) The Mississippi
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks * * * shall develop, implement and
regulate a * * *
mandatory electronic harvest reporting program for
white-tailed deer and wild turkey or both. The purpose of this program is
to collect and compile harvest data * * * of such quality and quantity as to be able to
assist the Legislature and the commission in formulating the wildlife resource
conservation policy for the State of Mississippi.
(b) * * *
The harvest reporting program shall be an electronic
tagging program that is simple to use by sportsmen so as to promote compliance
and accurate reporting.
(c) The department shall provide an annual report for the harvest reporting program to the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
* * *
( * * *2) A person who violates any law or
regulation * * * implementing and/or regulating the harvest
reporting program is guilty of a Class * * * II violation and shall be subject to
the fines provided in * * *
Section 49-7-143. In addition, a person shall be assessed the
administrative fee prescribed in this section.
( * * *3) (a) A person convicted of a first
violation of the * * *
harvest reporting program shall be assessed an administrative fee of not
less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars
($500.00), which shall be imposed and collected upon conviction. A person
convicted of a second or subsequent violation shall be assessed an
administrative fee of not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) nor more
than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), which shall be imposed and collected
upon conviction.
(b) The clerk of the court shall collect and deposit the administrative fees with the State Treasurer, in the same manner and in accordance with the same procedure, as nearly as practicable, as required for the collection and deposit of state assessments under Section 99-19-73.
(c) The administrative fees shall be credited to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and may be expended by the department upon appropriation by the Legislature.
( * * *4) Each deer or turkey taken or
possessed in violation of the * * * harvest reporting program is a
separate offense.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022, and shall stand repealed on June 30, 2022.
