Final TP&W Commisioners are going to look into joining this.

Commission Agenda Item No. 11

Briefing

Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact

January 22, 2009

I. Executive Summary: The Sunset Commission is discussing recommending to the Texas Legislature that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) be allowed to join the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact (IWVC). If enacted, TPWD would gain the benefits of a multi-state approach to handling violations of fish and game laws. The IWVC establishes a process whereby wildlife law violations by a non-resident from a member state is handled as if the person were a resident, in that personal recognizance is permitted instead of arrest, booking, and bonding. This process is a convenience for hunters and fishermen of member states and will increase efficiency of TPWD Game Wardens by allowing more time for enforcement duties rather than violator processing procedures required for arrest, booking, and bonding of non-residents. The Wildlife Violator Compact also includes a reciprocal recognition of license and permit suspension by member states, thus any person whose license or permit is suspended in a member state may also be suspended in Texas. Wildlife law violators will be held more responsible due to the fact that their illegal activities in one state can affect their privileges of hunting and fishing in all participating states. This cooperative interstate effort will enhance the Law Enforcement Division's ability to protect and manage Texas' wildlife resources.

I think I read something about a guy killing a elk in AZ that suffered those consequences because the bull was too close to a residence or something like that and he got caught. I don't remember all the details.

The compact has been in existance for a few years now and there are several states involved.

It is a really good program because it keeps folks from breaking laws in one state, getting caught, and then just going to another state.

Depending on how it is set up in Texas, if a person loses their hunting priveldges in one of the compact states for 5 years, they loose them in All participating states for that same 5 years.

It's the same as the old compact for traffic violations, that virtually everyone is a member of now. If it's ignored like that, it won't help. In theory, if someone has an outstanding ticket/traffic warrant in Mississippi, and gets stop in Texas, they would be held on theother charges in MS. However, they get released since the jails are full and MS is not going to spend the time effort and money extraditing a violator on a speeding ticket. Used to, about the only state that would was New Mexico. They'd come get yourarse and take you back...

This works differently, 1. because you have fewer violators as compared to traffic warrants and such, and 2 because the amounts of money involved in wildlife related fines makes it worthwhile to pursue the guilty.

Also depending on the crime, you have Federal statutes, such as Lacey Act violations involved, so it is a much different set of parameters that the agencies are working with in.

Also if you will look into the information on this, I think the mistakes of the system you desribed have been addressed by this agreement and folks are not going to get away with things like they did with the old system and such things as traffic violations.