La. Admin. Code tit. 76 § I-309

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section I-309 - Wildlife Violator Compact

A. Definitions

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

Citation-any summons, complaint, summons and complaint, ticket, penalty assessment, or other official document issued to a person by a wildlife officer or other peace officer for a wildlife violation which contains an order requiring the person to respond.

Collateral-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.

Compliance-with respect to a citation means the act of answering a citation through an appearance in a court or tribunal, or through the payment of fines, costs, and surcharges, if any.

Conviction-a conviction, including any court conviction, for any offense related to the preservation, protection, management, or restoration of wildlife which is prohibited by state statute, law, regulation, ordinance, or administrative rule, and such conviction shall also include the forfeiture of any bail, bond, or other security deposited to secure appearance by a person charged with having committed any such offense, the payment of a penalty assessment, a plea of nolo contendere and the imposition of a deferred or suspended sentence by the court.

Court-a court of law, including magistrate's court and the justice of the peace court.

Home State-the state of primary residence of a person.

Issuing State-the participating state which issues a wildlife citation to the violator.

License-any license, permit, or other public document which conveys to the person to whom it was issued the privilege of pursuing, possessing, or taking any wildlife regulated by statute, law, regulation, ordinance, or administrative rule of a participating state.

Licensing Authority-the department or division within each participating state which is authorized by law to issue or approve licenses or permits to hunt, fish, trap, or possess wildlife.

Participating State-any state which enacts legislation to become a member of this wildlife compact.

Personal Recognizance-an agreement by a person made at the time of issuance of the wildlife citation that such person will comply with the terms of the citation.

State-any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Provinces of Canada, and other countries.

Suspension-any revocation, denial, or withdrawal of any or all license privileges, including the privilege to apply for, purchase, or exercise the benefits conferred by any license.

Terms of the Citation-those conditions and options expressly stated upon the citation.

Wildlife-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, law, regulation, ordinance, or administrative rule in a participating state. Species included in the definition of "wildlife" vary from state to state and determination of whether a species is "wildlife" for the purposes of this compact shall be based on local law.

Wildlife Law-any statute, law, regulation, ordinance, or administrative rule developed and enacted for the management of wildlife resources and the uses thereof.

Wildlife Officer-any individual authorized by a participating state to issue a citation for a wildlife violation.

Wildlife Violation-any cited violation of a statute, law, regulation, ordinance, or administrative rule developed and enacted for the management of wildlife resources and the uses thereof.

B. Procedures for Issuing State

1. When issuing a citation for a wildlife violation, a wildlife officer shall issue a citation to any person whose primary residence is in a participating state in the same manner as though the person were a resident of the issuing state and shall not require such person to post collateral to secure appearance, subject to the exceptions noted in Paragraph 2 of this Subsection, if the officer receives the recognizance of such person that he will comply with the terms of the citation.

2. Personal recognizance is acceptable:

a. if not prohibited by local law, issuing agency policy, procedure or regulation, or by the compact manual; and

b. if the violator provides adequate proof of identification to the wildlife officer.

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

4. Upon receipt of the report of conviction or noncompliance pursuant to paragraph 3 of this subsection, the licensing authority of the issuing state shall transmit to the licensing authority of the home state of the violator the information in form and content as prescribed in the compact manual.

C. Procedure for Home State

1. Upon receipt of a report from the licensing authority of the issuing state reporting the failure of a violator to comply with the terms of a citation, the licensing authority of the home state shall notify the violator and shall initiate a suspension action in accordance with the home state's suspension procedures and 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. All member states may honor a suspension based on failure to comply. Due process safeguards will be accorded.

2. Upon receipt of a report of conviction from the licensing authority of the issuing state, the licensing authority of the home state shall enter such conviction in its records and shall treat such conviction as though it occurred in the home state for the purposes of the suspension of license privileges.

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

D. Reciprocal Recognition of Suspension

1. All participating states shall recognize the suspension of license privileges of any person by any participating state as though the violation resulting in the suspension had occurred in their state and could have been the basis for suspension of license privileges in their state.

2. Each participating state shall communicate suspension information to other participating states in form and content as contained in the compact manual.

E. Applicability of Other Laws

1. Except as expressly required by provisions of this compact, nothing herein shall be construed to affect the right of any participating 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 arrangement between a participating state and a nonparticipating state concerning wildlife law enforcement.

La. Admin. Code tit. 76, § I-309

Promulgated by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, LR 35:2858 (December 2009).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 56:69.21-R.S. 56:69.31.