NMSA 17-4-34. Habitat management stamp; fund; expenditure for habitat

17-4-34. Habitat management stamp; fund; expenditure for habitat management; exception. A. On and after April 1, 2006, each of the following licenses or permits shall include a habitat management stamp. The fee for a habitat management stamp shall be three dollars ($3.00). Each of the following licenses or permits shall not be considered to be a proper and valid license unless the licensee can demonstrate, by a stamp, check off or other official mark, that the fee for the habitat management stamp has been paid, provided that an individual purchaser shall be required to purchase only one stamp each license year, regardless of the number of licenses or permits purchased by that purchaser: (1) a resident or nonresident license specified in Section 17-3-13 NMSA 1978; or (2) a wildlife-associated recreation permit issued by the state game commission [state wildlife commission] pursuant to Section 17-1-4 NMSA 1978. B. Revenue from the sale of habitat management stamps shall be deposited in the "habitat management fund", hereby created in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of money appropriated and transferred to the fund and revenue from the sale of habitat management stamps deposited in the fund. Earnings from investment of the fund shall be credited to the fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert. Disbursements from the fund shall be made upon warrants drawn by the secretary of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the director of the department of game and fish [department of wildlife]. C. Upon appropriation by the legislature, money in the habitat management fund may be expended by the state game commission [state wildlife commission] only for the improvement, maintenance, development and operation of property for fish and wildlife habitat management. D. A habitat management stamp shall not be required for persons under the age of eighteen. History: Laws 2005, ch. 177, § 2.