Bill Summary for S 485 (2017-2018)

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Summary date: 

Mar 29 2017

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2017-2018 Session
Senate Bill 485 (Public) Filed Wednesday, March 29, 2017
AN ACT TO AMEND VARIOUS LAWS GOVERNING HUNTING AND TRAPPING.
Intro. by Brock.

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Bill summary

States the General Assembly's intent.

Amends GS 113-270.5 to add to the types of trapping licenses issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission (Commission): (1) Resident Lifetime Trapping License, which costs $300 and is issued only to an individual state resident, valid for the lifetime of the licensee and (2) Nonresident Lifetime Trapping License, which costs $1,000 and is issued only to an individual nonresident of the State, valid for the lifetime of the licensee. 

Amends GS 113-291.6 by amending the requirements that must be met to take wild animals by trapping with any steel-jaw, leghold, or conibear trap, to require that the attached tag include the trapper's identification number issued by the Commission, or the trapper's name and address (previously only allowed the listing of the trapper's name and address).

Allows the Commission to adopt temporary rules to implement the following. 

Amends GS 113-291.4 to no longer require passage of local legislation before the Commission may open a season for trapping foxes when the Commission determines that the fox population in an area is adequate to support harvesting. Adds that the Commission may establish different seasons for fox hunting and trapping, may set different open seasons for different parts of the state, and may make reasonable rules governing the possession of foxes killed by motor vehicles or other accidental means.

The following provisions become effective when the Commission notifies the Revisor of Statutes that it has issued temporary rules implementing the changes to GS 113-291.4.

Effective October 1, 2017, unless otherwise provided.

Repeals GS 113-291.4A (Open seasons for taking foxes with firearms) and GS 113-291.4(f1) (concerning the continuation of season in specified counties in which open seasons for taking foxes with weapons and by trapping were established between June 18, 1982, and July 1, 1987). Makes a conforming change to GS 113-291.4.

Repeals all local acts in conflict with these provisions, to the extent of the conflict.

Amends GS 113-133.1 to no longer retain the the specified local acts for the following counties: Anson, Ashe, Bladen, Brunswick, Caldwell, Carteret, Caswell, Catawba, Chowan, Columbus, Cumberland, Davie, Duplin, Granville, Halifax, Haywood, Henderson, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Martin, Montgomery, New Hanover, Perquimans, Rockingham, Rutherford, Surry, Tyrrell, Wayne, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.