§ 23-1-501 — Game and fish fund

Wyoming § 23-1-501

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 23: Game and Fish
• Ch. 1: ADMINISTRATION
• Art. 5: FINANCE

Text

(a) The Wyoming game and fish fund is continued in
existence.
(b) All revenue received by the commission or department
shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the
Wyoming game and fish fund. Monies in the fund designated by the
commission for investment in the Pool A investment account shall
be invested pursuant to W.S. 9-4-715(p). The commission may
establish accounts within the fund to carry out the purposes of
this act, in addition to those accounts established by law. The
Wyoming game and fish fund shall be expended as the commission
may direct to carry out the purposes of this act and for no
other purpose, except that the legislature may appropriate so
much thereof as necessary for expenses of any authorized
legislative committee to study matters relating to the
commission or department. Expenditures from the Wyoming game and
fish fund shall be made only by warrant issued by the state
auditor upon vouchers signed by the director and chief fiscal
officer, or other persons designated by the commission to sign
in their absence, substantiated and approved as provided by law.
(c) An account within the Wyoming game and fish fund is
created. Revenues collected from the sale of licenses under W.S.
23-2-101(j)(vii), (viii) and (xlvi) and 23-2-201(d)(viii) shall
be deposited within the account. The commission may annually
transfer into the fund from the account an amount not to exceed
six percent (6%) of the total account balance.
(d) A trust account within the Wyoming game and fish fund
is created. Gifts accepted by the commission as provided under
W.S. 23-1-302(a)(xxviii) shall be deposited within the account.
The commission shall maintain a public record of each donor and
the amount of the gift. The commission may make expenditures
from the account for any purpose for which the commission is
authorized by law to expend funds, subject to any restrictions
or conditions placed on the gift by the donor. The commission
shall maintain a public record of the amount of each expenditure
from the account and the purpose for the expenditure.
(e) An account within the game and fish fund is created.
Revenues collected under W.S. 23-2-101(n), 23-2-201(e) and as
specified under W.S. 23-2-306(a) and (b) shall be deposited
within the account. The commission shall use revenues in the
account to purchase access easements to provide access to public
and private lands. The commission shall notify in writing the
appropriate boards of county commissioners before purchasing any
access easements under this subsection. In addition and on or
before February 1 of each year, the commission shall annually
report to the legislature on easements purchased pursuant to
this subsection during the preceding fiscal year.
(f) A trust account separate and apart from the trust
account established under subsection (d) of this section is
created within the Wyoming game and fish fund. The account shall
consist of those funds appropriated or designated to the account
by law or by gift from whatever source. Funds deposited within
the account are intended to be inviolate and constitute a
permanent or perpetual trust account which shall be invested by
the state treasurer as authorized by law and in a manner to
obtain the highest net return possible consistent with
preservation of the account corpus. Earnings from investment of
the account corpus shall be credited by the state treasurer into
the Wyoming game and fish fund to be expended by the commission
for purposes specified under subsection (b) of this section.
(g) An account within the game and fish fund is created.
Revenues received pursuant to W.S. 23-4-204 shall be credited to
the account and are continuously appropriated to the commission
to be expended for the prevention, surveillance, containment and
direct and indirect costs associated with the administration of
the aquatic invasive species program created under chapter 4,
article 2 of this act.
(h) An account within the game and fish fund is created.
The portion of the revenues collected as specified under W.S.
23-2-306(e) shall be deposited into the account. Revenues
deposited in the account created under this subsection are
continuously appropriated to the commission and all earnings on
funds in the account shall remain in the account. The commission
shall use revenues in the account only as specified in this
subsection and subject to the following requirements:
(i) Of the revenues collected, not less than eighty-
five percent (85%) shall be used by the commission to purchase
access easements or other agreements to provide public access to
private, federal and state lands that are difficult to access or
inaccessible by the public for hunting and fishing purposes. The
commission shall notify the appropriate boards of county
commissioners in writing before purchasing any access easements
or entering into any agreements under this paragraph and shall
hold public hearings at the request of any board of county
commissions;
(ii) Of the revenues collected, not greater than
fifteen percent (15%) shall be used to provide for wildlife
conservation efforts related to the transportation system,
including signage, wildlife corridors, wildlife crossings, fish
passages and game fences;
(iii) As part of the annual report required under
subsection (e) of this section, the commission shall report to
the legislature on all expenditures pursuant to this subsection
during the preceding fiscal year.