MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2017 Regular Session

To: Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

By: Representative Morgan

House Bill 1028

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS TO DEVELOP AN ELECTRONIC HARVEST REPORTING PROGRAM FOR WHITE-TAILED DEER AND WILD TURKEY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1.  (1)  (a)  The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall develop, implement and regulate a mandatory harvest reporting program for white-tailed deer and/or wild turkey, to collect and compile harvest data of such quality and quantity as to be able to assist the Legislature and the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks in formulating the wildlife resource conservation policy for the State of Mississippi.  The harvest reporting program authorized by this section shall be a system that will be simple and usable by all sportsmen so as to promote compliance and accurate reporting and may include, but is not limited to, such means as a mobile smart phone application, online web-based reporting, or such other electronic or digital methods as shall promote ease of use by sportsmen.

          (b)  The department shall provide an annual report of the harvest reporting program to the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives.

     (2)  A person who violates any law or regulation implementing and/or regulating the harvest reporting system is guilty of a Class II violation and shall be subject to the fines provided in Section 49-7-143.

     (3)  Each deer or turkey taken or possessed in violation of the harvest reporting program is a separate offense.

SECTION 2.  No funds appropriated to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall be expended on the tagging program established in Section 49-7-26.

     SECTION 3.  Section 49-7-26, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     49-7-26.  (1)  (a)  The department * * *may shall develop, implement and regulate a * * *tagging and mandatory harvest reporting program for white-tailed deer and/or wild turkey, to collect and compile harvest data * * *and monitor bag limit compliance by any means as provided in this section 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.  The harvest reporting program authorized by this section shall be a system that will be simple and usable by all sportsmen so as to promote compliance and accurate reporting and may include, but not be limited to, such means as a mobile smartphone application, oneline web-based reporting, or such other electronic or digital method(s) as shall promote ease of use by sportsmen.

 * * *  (b)  The department may charge a fee for the tagging program.

          ( * * *cb)  The department shall provide an annual report to the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

 * * *(2) (a)  The department may establish a tagging and reporting program for deer harvested by nonresidents.

          (b)  A nonresident who violates any law or regulation of the nonresident deer tagging program shall be subject to the fine and forfeiture penalties provided for a nonresident hunting without a license under Section 49‑7‑21.  In addition, a nonresident shall be assessed the administrative fee prescribed in this section.

     (3)  (a)  The department may establish a tagging and reporting program for turkey.

     ( * * *b2)  A person who violates any law or regulation * * *of implementing and/or regulating the * * *turkey tagging program harvest reporting system is guilty of a Class * * *III II violation and shall be subject to the fines provided in * * *49‑7‑101 Section 49-7-143.  In addition, a person shall be assessed the administrative fee prescribed in this section.

     ( * * *43)  (a)  A person convicted of a first violation of the * * *tagging 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.

     ( * * *54)  Each deer or turkey taken or possessed in violation of the * * *tagging harvest reporting program is a separate offense.

     SECTION 4.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.

---