S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1415
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 9, 2017
                                ___________
 
 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:
 §  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.
   § 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01280-01-7

 S. 1415                             2
 
 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
 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.
   §  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.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.