NRS: CHAPTER 506 - WILDLIFE VIOLATOR COMPACT

[Rev. 6/29/2024 4:26:51 PM--2023]

CHAPTER 506 - WILDLIFE VIOLATOR COMPACT

NRS 506.010 Enactment and text of Compact.

NRS 506.020 Appointment of Compact Administrator for State.

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NRS 506.010 Enactment and text of Compact. The Wildlife Violator Compact is hereby enacted into law and entered into with all the jurisdictions legally joining therein, in the form substantially as follows:

ARTICLE I

FINDINGS, DECLARATION OF POLICY AND PURPOSES

Section 1. Findings. The party states find that:

(a) Wildlife resources are managed in trust by the respective states for the benefit of all residents and visitors.

(b) The protection of their respective wildlife resources are materially affected by the degree of compliance with state statute, regulation, ordinance or administrative rule relating to the management of those resources.

(c) The preservation, protection, management and restoration of wildlife contributes immeasurably to the aesthetic, recreational and economic aspects of those natural resources.

(d) Wildlife resources are valuable without regard to political boundaries and, therefore, all persons must be required to comply with wildlife preservation, protection, management and restoration statutes, ordinances and administrative rules and regulations of all party states as a condition precedent to the continuance or issuance of any license to hunt, fish, trap or possess wildlife.

(e) The violation of wildlife laws interferes with the management of wildlife resources and may endanger the safety of persons and property.

(f) The mobility of many wildlife law violators necessitates the maintenance of channels of communications among the various states.

(g) In most instances, a person who is cited for a wildlife violation in a state other than the person’s home state:

(1) Must post collateral or a bond to secure his or her appearance for a trial at a later date;

(2) If unable to post collateral or a bond, is taken into custody until the collateral or bond is posted; or

(3) Is taken directly to court for an immediate appearance.

(h) The purpose of the enforcement practices described in paragraph (g) is to ensure compliance with the terms of a wildlife citation by the person who, if permitted to continue on his or her way after receiving the citation, could return to the person’s home state and disregard his or her duty under the terms of the citation.

(i) In most instances, a person receiving a wildlife citation in the person’s home state is permitted to accept the citation from the officer at the scene of the violation and continue immediately on his or her way after agreeing to comply with the terms of the citation.

(j) The practice described in paragraph (g) causes unnecessary inconvenience and, at times, a hardship for the person who is unable at the time to post collateral, furnish a bond, stand trial or pay a fine and, therefore, is compelled to remain in custody until another arrangement is made.

(k) The enforcement practices described in paragraph (g) consume an undue amount of law enforcement time.

Sec. 2. Policies. The policies of the party states are to:

(a) Promote compliance with the statutes, ordinances, regulations and administrative rules relating to management of wildlife resources in their respective states.

(b) Recognize the suspension of wildlife license privileges of any person whose license privileges have been suspended by a party state and treat the suspension as if it had occurred in their state.

(c) Allow a violator to accept a wildlife citation, except as provided in section 2 of article III, and proceed on his or her way without delay whether or not the violator is a resident in the state in which the citation was issued if the violator’s home state is a party to this compact.

(d) Report to the appropriate party state, as provided in the compact manual, any conviction recorded against any person whose home state was not the issuing state.

(e) Allow the home state to recognize and treat convictions recorded for its residents which occurred in another party state as if they had occurred in the home state.

(f) Extend cooperation to its fullest extent among the party states for obtaining compliance with the terms of a wildlife citation issued in one party state to a resident of another party state.

(g) Maximize the effective use of law enforcement personnel and information.

(h) Assist court systems in the efficient disposition of wildlife violations.

Sec. 3. Purposes. The purposes of this compact are to:

(a) Provide a means by which the party states may participate in a reciprocal program to carry out the policies set forth in section 2 of this article in a uniform and orderly manner.

(b) Provide for the fair and impartial treatment of wildlife violators operating within party states in recognition of the persons’ right of due process in the sovereign status of a party state.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS

Section 1. As used in this compact, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) “Citation” means any summons, complaint, summons and complaint, ticket, penalty assessment or other official document issued by a wildlife officer or other peace officer for a wildlife violation containing an order which requires the person to respond.

(b) “Collateral” means any cash or other security deposited to secure an appearance for trial in connection with the issuance by a wildlife officer or other peace officer of a citation for a wildlife violation.

(c) “Compliance” means the act of answering a citation by appearing in a court or tribunal or the payment of fines, costs or surcharges, if any.

(d) “Conviction” means a conviction, including any court conviction, of any offense related to the preservation, protection, management or restoration of wildlife which is prohibited by state statute, regulation, ordinance or administrative rule, or a forfeiture of bail, bond or other security deposited to secure the appearance of a person charged with any such offense, or the payment of a penalty assessment or a plea of nolo contendere, or the imposition of a deferred or suspended sentence by the court.

(e) “Court” means a court of law, including magistrate’s court and the justice of the peace court.

(f) “Home state” means the state of primary residence of a person.

(g) “Issuing state” means the party state which issues a wildlife citation.

(h) “License” means any license, permit or other public document which conveys to the person to whom it is issued the privilege of pursuing, possessing or taking any wildlife regulated by statute, regulation, ordinance or administrative rule of a party state.

(i) “Licensing authority” means the department or division within each party state which is authorized by law to issue or approve licenses or permits to hunt, fish, trap or possess wildlife.

(j) “Party state” means any state which enacts legislation to become a member of this compact.

(k) “Personal recognizance” means an agreement by a person made at the time of the issuance of the wildlife citation that the person will comply with the terms of that citation.

(l) “State” means any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Provinces of Canada or any other countries.

(m) “Suspension” means any revocation, denial or withdrawal of any license privileges, including the privilege to apply for, purchase or exercise the benefits conferred by any license.

(n) “Terms of the citation” means those conditions and options expressly stated in the citation.

(o) “Wildlife” means all species of animals, including, but not limited to, mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, mollusks and crustaceans, which are defined as wildlife and are protected or otherwise regulated by statute, regulation, ordinance or administrative rule in a party state. Species included in the definition of wildlife vary from state to state and a determination of whether a species is wildlife for the purposes of this compact must be based on local law.

(p) “Wildlife law” means any statute, regulation, ordinance or administrative rule enacted to manage wildlife resources and the use thereof.

(q) “Wildlife officer” means any person authorized by a party state to issue a citation for a wildlife violation.

(r) “Wildlife violation” means any cited violation of statute, regulation, ordinance or administrative rule enacted to manage wildlife resources and the use thereof.

ARTICLE III

PROCEDURES FOR ISSUING STATE

Section 1. Issuing state procedures are as follows:

(a) When issuing a citation for a wildlife violation, a wildlife officer shall issue a citation to any person whose primary residence is in a party state in the same manner as if the person were a resident of the home state. The wildlife officer shall not require the person to post collateral to secure the person’s appearance, subject to the exceptions set forth in paragraph (b) of this article, if the officer receives the person’s personal recognizance that the person will comply with the terms of the citation.

(b) Personal recognizance is permissible if:

(1) It is not prohibited by local law or the compact manual; and

(2) The violator provides adequate proof of his or her identity to the wildlife officer.

(c) Upon conviction or failure of a person to comply with the terms of a wildlife citation, the appropriate officer shall report the conviction or the failure to comply to the licensing authority of the party state in which the wildlife citation was issued. The report must be made in accordance with the procedures specified by the issuing state and contain information as specified in the compact manual as minimum requirements for effective processing by the home state.

(d) Upon the receipt of the report of conviction or noncompliance required by paragraph (c), the licensing authority of the issuing state shall transmit to the licensing authority in the home state of the violator the information in the manner prescribed in the compact manual.

ARTICLE IV

PROCEDURES FOR HOME STATE

Section 1. Home state procedures are as follows:

(a) Upon the receipt of a report of failure to comply with the terms of a citation from the licensing authority of the issuing state, the licensing authority of the home state shall notify the violator and begin a suspension action in accordance with the home state’s suspension procedures. The licensing authority of the home state shall suspend the violator’s license privileges until satisfactory evidence of compliance with the terms of the wildlife citation has been furnished by the issuing state to the home state licensing authority. Due process rights must be accorded to the violator.

(b) Upon the receipt of a report of conviction from the licensing authority of the issuing state, the licensing authority of the home state shall enter the conviction in its records and consider the conviction as if it had occurred in the home state for the purposes of the suspension of license privileges.

(c) The licensing authority of the home state shall maintain a record of actions taken and make reports to the issuing states as provided in the compact manual.

ARTICLE V

RECIPROCAL RECOGNITION OF SUSPENSION

Section 1. The party states agree that:

(a) All party states shall recognize the suspension of license privileges of any person by any state as if the violation on which the suspension is based had occurred in their state and would have been the basis for suspension of license privileges in their state.

(b) Each party state shall communicate information concerning the suspension of license privileges to the other party states in the manner prescribed in the compact manual.

ARTICLE VI

APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS

Section 1. The party states agree that, except as expressly required by the provisions of this compact, nothing included in this compact shall be construed to affect the right of any party state to apply any of its laws relating to license privileges to any person or circumstance or to invalidate or prevent any agreement or other cooperative arrangements between a party state and a nonparty state concerning wildlife law enforcement.

ARTICLE VII

COMPACT ADMINISTRATOR PROCEDURES

Section 1. The party states agree that:

(a) For the purpose of administering the provisions of this compact and to serve as a governing body for the resolution of all matters relating to the operation of this compact, a board of compact administrators is hereby established. The board must be composed of one representative from each of the party states to be known as the compact administrator. The compact administrator must be appointed by the head of the licensing authority of each party state and shall serve and be subject to removal in accordance with the laws of the state the compact administrator represents. A compact administrator may provide for the discharge of his or her duties and the performance of the compact administrator’s functions as a board member by an alternate. An alternate may not serve unless written notification of the alternate’s identity has been given to the board.

(b) Each member of the board of compact administrators is entitled to one vote. No action of the board is binding unless taken at a meeting at which a majority of the total number of votes on the board are cast in favor thereof. Action by the board must be only at a meeting at which a majority of the party states are represented.

(d) The board shall adopt bylaws, not inconsistent with the provisions of this compact or the laws of a party state, for the conduct of its business and may amend or rescind its bylaws.

(e) The board may accept for any of its purposes and functions under this compact any donations and grants of money, equipment, supplies, materials and services, conditional or otherwise, from any state, the United States, or any governmental agency and may receive, use and dispose of them as it deems appropriate.

(f) The board may contract with, or accept services or personnel from, any governmental or intergovernmental agency, person, firm, corporation or private nonprofit organization or institution.

(g) The board shall establish all necessary procedures and develop uniform forms and documents for administering the provisions of this compact. All procedures and forms adopted pursuant to board action must be included in the compact manual.

ARTICLE VIII

ENTRY INTO AND WITHDRAWAL FROM COMPACT

Section 1. The party states agree that:

(a) This compact becomes effective upon adoption by at least two states.

(b) Entry into the compact must be made by a resolution of ratification executed by the authorized officers of the applying state and submitted to the chair of the board of compact administrators.

(1) A citation of the authority by which the state is authorized to become a party to this compact;

(2) An agreement to comply with the terms and provisions of the compact; and

(3) A statement that entry into the compact is with all states then party to the compact and with any state that legally becomes a party to the compact.

(d) The effective date of entry must be specified by the applying state, except that the effective date must not be less than 60 days after notice has been given by:

(1) The chair of the board of the compact administrators; or

(2) The secretary of the board of compact administrators to each party state that the resolution from the applying state has been received.

(e) A party state may withdraw from the compact by giving official written notice to the other party states. A withdrawal does not take effect until 90 days after the notice of withdrawal is given. The notice must be directed to the compact administrator of each party state. The withdrawal of a party state does not affect the validity of the compact as to the remaining party states.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPACT

Section 1. The party states agree that:

(a) This compact may be amended from time to time. Amendments must be presented in resolution form to the chair of the board of compact administrators and may be proposed by one or more party states.

(b) The adoption of an amendment must be endorsed by all party states and becomes effective 30 days after the date the last party state endorses the amendment.

(c) The failure of a party state to respond to the chair of the board of compact administrators within 120 days after the receipt of the proposed amendment constitutes an endorsement.

ARTICLE X

CONSTRUCTION AND SEVERABILITY

Section 1. The party states agree that this compact must be liberally construed so as to carry out the purposes stated in the compact. The provisions of this compact are severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence or provision of the compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any party state or the United States or the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of the compact is not affected thereby. If this compact is held contrary to the constitution of any party state thereto, the compact remains in effect as to the remaining states and to the state affected as to all severable matters.

ARTICLE XI

TITLE

Section 1. The party states agree that this compact will be known as the Wildlife Violator Compact.

(Added to NRS by 1989, 750)

NRS 506.020 Appointment of Compact Administrator for State. The Director shall appoint a person to serve on the Board of Compact Administrators as the Compact Administrator for this State as required by section 1 of article VII of the Wildlife Violator Compact.

(Added to NRS by 1989, 756; A 1993, 1681; 2003, 1558)