Regulations

Senate Bill S744
Oversight of Cervids

SECTION 14.26.(a) The Wildlife Resources Commission shall not issue a transportation permit for the importation of cervids into the State prior to July 1, 2017.

SECTION 14.26.(b) For purposes of this section, "USDA Standards" means the United States Department of Agriculture's Chronic Wasting Disease Program Standards, May 2014 edition, and subsequent updates, but does not include any authority given to a State to adopt standards more stringent than those expressly set out in the May 2014 edition or subsequent updates.

SECTION 14.26.(c) Nothing in this section is intended to limit the issuance by the Commission of new captivity licenses or permits for cervid facilities containing only cervids originating within the State from facilities with an existing captivity license or permit that have achieved certified status.

SECTION 14.26.(d) Except as further limited by subsection (a) of this section, or as modified by subsection (c) of this section, and notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulations adopted by the Commission to the contrary, the Commission shall follow the USDA Standards in carrying out its authority to regulate cervids.

SECTION 14.26.(e) G.S. 113-272.6(a) reads as rewritten: "(a) The Wildlife Resources Commission shall regulate the transportation, including importation and exportation, and possession of cervids, including game carcasses and parts of game carcasses extracted by hunters. The Commission shall allow the sale of antlers, antler velvet, or hides from captive populations of cervids. The Commission shall adopt rules to implement this section, including requirements for captivity licenses, captivity permits, and transportation permits. The rules adopted pursuant to this section shall establish standards of care for the transportation and possession of cervids, including requirements for fencing, tagging, record keeping, and inspection of captive cervid facilities. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commission may charge a fee of up to fifty dollars ($50.00) for the processing of applications for captivity licenses, captivity permits, and transportation permits, and the renewal or modification of those licenses and permits. The fees collected shall be applied to the costs of administering this section."

SECTION 14.26.(f) No later than March 1, 2015, the Wildlife Resources Commission shall report to the Agriculture and Forestry Awareness Study Commission regarding differences between the USDA Standards and rules adopted by the Wildlife Resources Commission under the authority granted by G.S. 113-272.6. The report shall include a list and brief summary of rules adopted by the Commission in effect immediately prior to the enactment of this act that are more stringent than the USDA Standards.