Bill Summary for H 181 (2021-2022)

Printer-friendly: Click to view

Summary date: 

Mar 23 2021

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2021
House Bill 181 (Public) Filed Thursday, February 25, 2021
AN ACT TO MAKE VARIOUS CHANGES TO THE STATUTES GOVERNING THE WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION.
Intro. by Adams, Yarborough, Wray.

View: All Summaries for BillTracking:

Bill summary

House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

Makes a technical change to the proposed changes to GS 113-273(l) concerning wildlife control agent licenses and (m) concerning alligator control agent certification. 

Eliminates the previous provisions of Section 10, which amended GS 113-270.1A to require obtaining a dog hunter education certificate for completion of a dog hunter education course before a person may pursue or chase deer with dogs for the purpose of training or hunting, and required the Wildlife Resource Commission (WRC) to establish an advisory committee to create the dog hunter education course. Instead provides the following.

Directs the WRC to develop a manual of practices to identify customary and responsible methods and practices of hunting deer with dogs, including documenting associated history and applicable property rights, by June 30, 2021. Requires consultation with organizations promoting or conducting dog hunting in the State. Requires the WRC to publish the manual and include information on deer dog hunting best practices in the statutorily required hunter safety course by July 31, 2021. Makes conforming changes to the course requirements set forth in GS 113-270.1A, effective July 31, 2021.

Adds the following new provisions.

Amends GS 113-136, concerning the enforcement authority of inspectors and protectors, as follows. Makes it unlawful to refuse to allow inspectors, protectors, or other law enforcement officers to inspect weapons or equipment, fish, or wildlife that the officer reasonably believes to be possessed incident to an activity regulated by any law or rule as to which inspectors and protectors have enforcement jurisdiction; no longer requires the inspector, prospector, or other law enforcement officer to have a reasonable suspicion that a violation has been committed (previously not required for the inspection of shotguns only). No longer limits inspection of fish or wildlife to the purpose of ensuring compliance with bag limits or size limits. Eliminates the specification that stated the provisions did not authorize inspection in the absence of a person in apparent control of the listed items. 

Allows for an individual qualifying for an adult resident lifetime sportsman license under GS 113-270.1D(b)(3) who is 50 years old but younger than 70 years old to purchase the license at 50% of the applicable fee of $500; excludes firefighters eligible for a discounted license under GS 113-276(o). Similarly amends GS 113-351 to allow for an individual qualifying for a resident adult lifetime unified sportsman/coastal recreational fishing license under sub-subdivision (c)(3)c. who is 50 years old but younger than 70 years old to purchase the license at 50% of the applicable fee of $675; similarly excludes firefighters eligible for a discounted license under GS 113-276(o).