Senate Bill 2920

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-58.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT FROM AND AFTER JULY 1, 2018, ENCLOSURES INTENDED TO CONTAIN WHITE-TAILED DEER AND PREVENT THE FREE EGRESS OF WHITE-TAILED DEER FROM THE ENCLOSED AREA SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUCTED, EXISTING ENCLOSURES SHALL NOT BE EXPANDED AND ANY BREEDING FACILITIES AT EXISTING ENCLOSURES SHALL NOT BE EXPANDED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 49-7-58.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

49-7-58.1. (1) The owner of any enclosure containing white-tailed deer that prevents the free egress of white-tailed deer from the enclosed area shall notify and register with the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. The person shall give his name, the location of the enclosure, the acreage within the enclosure, and whether any deer have been imported into the state and placed in the enclosure, and any other information required by the Commissioner on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

(2) Persons who constructed an enclosure prior to July 1, 2003, shall have until January 1, 2004, to notify and provide the information required under this section. The person shall use acceptable hunting and wildlife management practices as may be determined by the department.

(3) The owner of such an enclosure shall comply with any testing of white-tailed deer harvested within the enclosure as may be required by the department. If chronic wasting disease is diagnosed within five (5) miles of the enclosure, the owner of such enclosure shall allow department personnel to enter the enclosure to utilize lethal collection methods to obtain tissue samples for testing. If chronic wasting disease is diagnosed within the enclosure, the owner shall allow department personnel to enter the enclosure and depopulate the white-tailed deer within the enclosure.

(4) From and after July 1, 2018:

(a) New enclosures intended to contain white-tailed deer and prevent the free egress of white-tailed deer from the enclosed area shall not be constructed;

(b) Existing enclosures that contain white-tailed deer and prevent the free egress of white-tailed deer from the enclosed area shall not be expanded and any breeding facilities at existing enclosures shall not be expanded.

( * * *45) A violation of this section is a Class I violation and is punishable as provided in Section 49-7-141.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.