S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  7963

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 31, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation

AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
  increasing  certain  penalties  and authorizing the payment of rewards
  for aid in the  apprehension  and  conviction  of  persons  guilty  of
  certain  felonies  or  misdemeanors relating to endangered and special
  species, species of special concern and  illegal  ivory  articles  and
  rhinoceros horns

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by  adding  a
new section 71-0929 to read as follows:
S  71-0929. PAYMENT OF REWARDS FOR AID IN APPREHENSION AND CONVICTION OF
             PERSONS GUILTY OF FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR.
  THE COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO OFFER AND PAY REWARDS  OF  NOT  MORE
THAN  TWENTY-FIVE  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  FOR INFORMATION WHICH LEADS TO THE
DETECTION, ARREST AND CONVICTION OF A  PERSON  GUILTY  OF  A  FELONY  OR
MISDEMEANOR  PURSUANT  TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 11-0535 OR 11-0535-A
OF THIS CHAPTER; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT NO POLICE OFFICER, AS THAT TERM
IS DEFINED UNDER SUBDIVISION THIRTY-FOUR OF SECTION 1.20 OF THE CRIMINAL
PROCEDURE LAW, PEACE OFFICER, AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN SECTION 2.10 OF
THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW, OR  ANY  OTHER  AUTHORIZED  LAW  ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER  OR  OFFICIAL  SHALL  BE  ENTITLED,  DIRECTLY  OR INDIRECTLY, TO
COLLECT OR RECEIVE ANY SUCH REWARD OR PART THEREOF.
  S 2. Subdivision 13 of section 71-0925 of the environmental  conserva-
tion  law,  as amended by chapter 706 of the laws of 2005, is amended to
read as follows:
  13. If the violation was an  act  prohibited  by  subdivision  two  of
section  11-0535 or by section 11-0536 of this chapter, or by any lawful
rule or regulation of the department promulgated pursuant  thereto,  not
more  than [two] FOUR thousand dollars, and an additional penalty of not
more than [three] SEVEN hundred [fifty] dollars for each  fish,  shellf-
ish,  crustacea,  wildlife or part thereof involved in the violation. If
the violation was an act prohibited by any regulation of the  department

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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S. 7963                             2

promulgated  pursuant  to  subdivision  three of section 11-0535 of this
chapter, then such penalty shall be not more  than  [one]  TWO  thousand
dollars,  and  an additional penalty of not more than [two] FOUR hundred
dollars  for  each  fish, shellfish, crustacea, wildlife or part thereof
involved in the violation.
  S 3. The commissioner of environmental conservation shall  inform  the
public  of  the  importance  of  protecting  endangered  and  threatened
species. Such commissioner shall also publicize the laws protecting such
species and the existence of a reward pursuant to section  one  of  this
act.
  S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.