House Bill 1144

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS TO INVENTORY THE NUMBER, LOCATION AND SIZE OF WILD ANIMAL ENCLOSURES AND THE TYPES OF NONNATIVE ANIMALS HELD IN SUCH ENCLOSURES; TO CLARIFY THE DUTIES AND POWERS RELATED TO WILD ANIMAL ENCLOSURES OF THE COMMISSION ON WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall have plenary power to regulate all commercial and noncommercial wild animal enclosures in order to conserve and protect native wildlife for all citizens to enjoy and to protect our recreational economy dependent on native wildlife resources.

(2) The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall regulate any facility that prevents the free ingress and egress of native or nonnative cervids as the same are defined by the commission. The commission may promulgate rules and regulations requiring the issuance of permits and the payment of a reasonable fee therefor. Regulations promulgated under this authority must have a majority vote of the commission to be adopted.

(3) This section shall repeal on July 1, 2009.

SECTION 2. The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall take inventory of the number, location and size of all wild animal enclosures in the state and the types of animals held or hunted in such enclosures. The department shall file a report with the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives before January 3, 2007.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.