Assembly Bill No. 199–Committee on Natural Resources,
Agriculture, and Mining

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to wildlife; increasing the amount of certain accounts maintained by the division of wildlife of the state department of conservation and natural resources; making various changes regarding the form and period of validity of certain licenses, the fees of license agents and the issuance and possession of certain stamps; authorizing the board of wildlife commissioners to adopt regulations governing the issuance of duplicates of certain licenses; increasing the fee for a state trout stamp and creating a separate account for deposit of the proceeds of the fee; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

   Section 1. NRS 501.354 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   501.354  [The] Except as otherwise provided by specific statute, the

division shall receive, deposit and expend all money provided by law for

the administration of this title and of chapter 488 of NRS, pursuant to the

authority contained in NRS 501.356 and in accordance with the

commission’s policy.

   Sec. 2.  NRS 501.356 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   501.356  1.  Money received by the division from:

   (a) The sale of licenses;

   (b) Fees pursuant to the provisions of NRS 488.075 and 488.1795;

   (c) Remittances from the state treasurer pursuant to the provisions of

NRS 365.535;

   (d) Appropriations made by the legislature; and

   (e) All other sources, except money derived from the forfeiture of any

property described in NRS 501.3857 or money deposited in the wildlife

heritage trust account pursuant to NRS 501.3575[,] or in the trout

management account pursuant to NRS 502.327,

must be deposited with the state treasurer for credit to the wildlife account

in the state general fund.

   2.  The interest and income earned on the money in the wildlife

account, after deducting any applicable charges, must be credited to the

account.

   3.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, the division may use

money in the wildlife account only to carry out the provisions of this Title

and chapter 488 of NRS and as provided in NRS 365.535, and the money

must not be diverted to any other use.

   4.  Except as otherwise provided in NRS 502.250, 502.310 and

504.155, all fees for the sale or issuance of stamps, tags, permits and

licenses that are required to be deposited in the wildlife account pursuant to

the provisions of this Title must be accounted for separately and may be

used only for the management of wildlife.

   Sec. 3.  NRS 501.361 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   501.361  A petty cash account in the amount of [$300] $1,000 for the

payment of minor expenses of the division is hereby created. The account

must be kept in the custody of an employee designated by the administrator

and must be replenished periodically from the wildlife account in the state

general fund upon approval of expenditures as required by law and


submission of vouchers or other documents to indicate payment as may be

prescribed.

   Sec. 4.  NRS 501.363 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   501.363  A change account in the amount of [$500] $3,000 is hereby

created. The account must be kept in the custody of one or more employees

designated by the administrator and used for the making of change

incidental to the business of the division.

   Sec. 5.  NRS 502.030 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   502.030  1.  Licenses granting the privilege to hunt, fish or trap as

provided in this Title must be of such a form as is deemed necessary by the

division, but must include the following information:

   (a) The holder’s name, address and description.

   (b) The date issued.

   (c) The [expiration date thereof.] period of validity.

   (d) The correct designation as to whether a fishing, hunting or trapping

license.

   (e) A statement to be signed by the holder: “I, the signator holder in

signing this license, hereby state that I am entitled to this license under the

laws of the State of Nevada and that no false statement has been made by

me to obtain this license.”

   2.  The commission may provide rules and regulations requiring an

applicant to exhibit proof of his identity and residence. Such information

must be included on the license as is deemed necessary by the division.

   3.  The commission may provide rules and regulations establishing a

permanent licensing system. Such a system may authorize the use of

applications for the issuance of temporary hunting, fishing and trapping

licenses for residents and the issuance of annual licenses therefrom. The

system may provide for the automatic renewal and validation of the annual

license.

   4.  The commission may provide regulations covering the method of

applying for, the term and expiration date of any license required by this

Title to be issued without the payment of a fee.

   Sec. 6.  NRS 502.040 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   502.040  1.  The commission shall adopt regulations regarding:

   (a) The standards to be met by license agents in the performance of their

duties;

   (b) The requirements for the furnishing of surety bonds by license

agents;

   (c) The manner of remitting money to the division; and

   (d) The manner of accounting for licenses, tags, stamps and permits

received, issued, sold or returned.

A license agent’s authority may be revoked by the division for his failure

to abide by the regulations of the commission. The agent may appeal to the

commission for reinstatement.

   2.  A license agent designated by the division is responsible for the

correct issuance of all licenses, tags, stamps and permits entrusted to him,

and, so far as he is able, for ensuring that no licenses are issued upon the

false statement of an applicant. Before issuing any license, the license

agent shall satisfy himself of the identity of the applicant and the place of


his residence, and may require any applicant to present proof of his identity

and residence.

   3.  A license agent is responsible to the division for the collection of the

correct and required fee, for the safeguarding of the money collected by

him, and for the prompt remission to the division for deposit in accordance

with NRS 501.356 of all money collected. The division shall furnish to the

license agent receipts for all money which he remits to it. A license agent

shall furnish a receipt to the division of all licenses, tags, stamps or permits

which he receives from it.

   4.  For each license, tag, stamp or permit he sells, a license agent is

entitled to receive a service fee of:

   (a) One dollar for each license, tag or permit, in addition to the fee for

the license, tag or permit; and

   (b) Ten cents for each stamp . [or similar document issued which does

not require completion by the agent.]

   5.  Any person authorized to enforce this chapter may inspect, during

the license agent’s normal business hours, any record or document of the

agent relating to the issuance of any such license, tag or permit.

   6.  All money collected by a license agent, except service fees collected

pursuant to subsection 4, is public money of the State of Nevada, and the

state has a prior claim for the amount of money due it upon all assets of the

agent over all creditors, assignees or other claimants. The use of this

money for private or business transactions is a misuse of public funds and

punishable under the laws provided.

   Sec. 7.  NRS 502.090 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   502.090  1.  [All licenses] Each license issued as provided in this

chapter [are] is valid, and [authorize] authorizes the person to whom it is

issued to hunt, to fish or to trap during open seasons only [on and from the

date of issuance of the license until the date of expiration printed thereon.]

during the period specified on the license.

   2.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3 of NRS 502.015[,]

and unless suspended or revoked, each fishing license, hunting license and

combined hunting and fishing license is valid :

   (a) From the date the license is issued until the last day of the next

succeeding February; or

   (b) From the first day of March immediately following the date the

license is issued until the last day of the next succeeding February [after

its issuance.] ,

as specified on the license.

   Sec. 8.  NRS 502.110 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   502.110  1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, [not] no

more than one license of each class may be issued to any one person during

each licensing period.

   2.  [If an unexpired license is lost or stolen, the person to whom the

license was issued may receive another license of the same class by making

application and certifying under oath that the license was lost or stolen and

by paying:

   (a) If the application is made to an authorized agent, the annual fee for

the license; or


   (b) If the application is made to the division, a fee of $5.] The

commission shall adopt regulations providing for the issuance of a

duplicate license to replace an unexpired license that has been lost,

stolen or destroyed. The regulations must specify a fee, which must not

exceed $10, for the issuance of a duplicate license. A duplicate license

has the same effect, and is subject to the same conditions and

restrictions, as the license it replaces.

   Sec. 9.  NRS 502.300 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   502.300  1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, it is

unlawful for any person to hunt any migratory game bird, except jacksnipe,

coot, gallinule, western mourning dove, white-winged dove and band-

tailed pigeon, unless at the time he is hunting he carries on his person [an] :

   (a) An unexpired state duck stamp validated by his signature in ink

across the face of the stamp[.] ; or

   (b) Such documentation as the division provides via the Internet as

proof that he has paid to the division, for the licensing period that

includes the time he is hunting, the same fee as that required pursuant to

subsection 3 for the purchase of an unexpired state duck stamp for that

period.

   2.  The provisions of subsection 1 do not apply to a person who:

   (a) Is under the age of 12 years; or

   (b) Is 65 years of age or older.

   3.  Unexpired duck stamps must be sold for a fee of not more than $5

each by the division and by persons authorized by the division to sell

hunting licenses. The commission shall establish the price to be charged by

the division or agents of the division for expired duck stamps, and the fee

for unexpired duck stamps within the limit provided.

   4.  The division shall determine the form of the stamps.

   Sec. 10.  NRS 502.310 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   502.310  All money [from the sale of state duck stamps] received

pursuant to NRS 502.300 must be deposited with the state treasurer for

credit to the wildlife account in the state general fund. The division shall

maintain separate accounting records for the receipt and expenditure of

that money . [from the sale of state duck stamps.] An amount not to exceed

10 percent of that money may be used to reimburse the division for the cost

of administering the state duck stamp programs. This amount is in addition

to compensation allowed persons authorized to issue and sell licenses.

   Sec. 11.  NRS 502.322 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   502.322  1.  Before the division may undertake any project using

money [from the sale of state duck stamps,] received pursuant to NRS

502.300, it shall analyze the project and provide the commission with

recommendations as to the need for the project and its feasibility.

   2.  Money [from the sale of state duck stamps] received pursuant to

NRS 502.300 must be used for projects approved by the commission for

the protection and propagation of migratory game birds, and for the

acquisition, development and preservation of wetlands in Nevada.

   Sec. 12.  NRS 502.326 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   502.326  1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, it is

unlawful for any person to take or possess trout unless at the time he is

fishing he carries on his person [a] :


   (a) An unexpired state trout stamp affixed to his fishing license and

validated by his signature in ink across the face of the stamp [.] ; or

   (b) Such documentation as the division provides via the Internet as

proof that he has paid to the division, for the licensing period that

includes the time he is fishing, the same fee as that required pursuant to

subsection 3 for the purchase of a state trout stamp for that period.

   2.  The provisions of subsection 1 do not apply to a person who:

   (a) Is under the age of 12; or

   (b) Is fishing:

     (1) Under the authority of a valid 1-day permit to fish or during a

consecutive day validly added to that permit; or

     (2) In accordance with regulations adopted by the commission

pursuant to subparagraph (2) of paragraph (e) of subsection 1 of NRS

502.010.

   3.  State trout stamps must be sold for a fee of [$5] $10 each by the

division and by persons authorized by the division to sell hunting, fishing

and trapping licenses.

   4.  The division shall determine the form of the stamps.

   Sec. 13.  NRS 502.327 is hereby amended to read as follows:

   502.327  1.  All money [from the sale of state trout stamps] received

pursuant to NRS 502.326 must be deposited with the state treasurer for

credit to the [wildlife] trout management account , which is hereby

established in the state general fund.

   2.  The interest and income earned on the money in the trout

management account, after deducting any applicable charges, must be

credited to the account.

   3.  The division shall [maintain] :

   (a) Maintain separate accounting records for the receipt of money

pursuant to NRS 502.326 and the expenditure of that money . [from the

sale of state trout stamps.]

   (b) Administer the trout management account. The division may use

money in the account only for the protection, propagation and

management of trout in this state and for any bonded indebtedness

incurred therefor.

   Sec. 14.  NRS 502.328 is hereby repealed.

   Sec. 15.  1.  This section and sections 1 to 7, inclusive, and 9 to 14,

inclusive, of this act become effective upon passage and approval.

   2.  Section 8 of this act becomes effective upon passage and approval

for the purpose of adopting regulations and on October 1, 2001, for all

other purposes.

 

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