Title XII, Conservation and State Development

The property valuation administrator shall include on the regular property tax roll an accurate record of the acreage of timberland listed in the name of each owner in the county.

(1) When the property tax rolls are delivered to the county clerk by the property valuation administrator, as required by law, the county clerk shall compute the assessment due the county from each owner of timberland in accordance with the rate fixed by the county governing body…

(1) The sheriff shall collect the assessment at the same time and in the same manner in which he or she collects the state and county ad valorem tax. He or she shall issue a receipt to the taxpayer, report to the county judge/executive, and make his or her annual and final settle…

A separate fund shall be maintained by the county treasurer to be known as the county forest fire protection fund. The assessments collected from each timberland owner, together with penalties, shall constitute the fund and it shall be used only for making payments to the cabinet…

(1) Any person aggrieved by a listing of any portion of his property as timberland by the property valuation administrator may file a protest with the county judge/executive, provided the protest is in writing and is made within thirty (30) days of receipt of notice of the listin…

The purpose of KRS 149.610 to 149.680 is to place in the Energy and Environment Cabinet, the authority and responsibility to control infestations or infections by insects or disease, which are hereby declared to be a public nuisance, in order to protect and preserve forest resour…

The secretary for energy and environment shall make surveys and investigations to determine the threat or presence of infestations and control of forest pests. For this purpose duly designated representatives of the secretary may enter at reasonable times on public and private la…

Whenever the secretary for energy and environment finds that any forest area is infested, threatened to be infested, infected, or threatened to be infected with insects or disease, he shall determine whether measures of control are needed and are available and the area over which…

The secretary for energy and environment may apply measures of infestation and infection control on public and private forests and other lands anywhere in the Commonwealth, to any trees, timber, plants or shrubs thereon harboring or which may harbor any insects or disease. The se…

The secretary for energy and environment is authorized to carry out control work on other adjacent or interior holdings, which, if uncontrolled, would cause a reinfestation or reinfection of the controlled area, and to contract with owners of land in the affected area relative to…

The secretary for energy and environment may cooperate with the federal government or agencies thereof, other agencies of the Commonwealth, county or municipal governments, agencies of neighboring states, or other public or private organizations, or individuals and may accept suc…

All moneys collected under the provisions of KRS 149.610 to 149.680, including such as may be contributed or paid by the federal government or any other public or private agency, organization or individual, shall be placed in the State Treasury to the credit of a revolving, trust…

The secretary for energy and environment is authorized as required by law, to employ necessary personnel, procure necessary equipment, supplies and services; to enter into contracts in the name of the secretary and to provide funds to any agency of the United States for work or s…

(1) Any person who violates subsection (2) of KRS 149.040 shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars ($500), or confined in jail for not less than thirty (30) nor more than one hundred (100) days, or both. (2) Any physically able resident of this state above the age of eig…

(1) Any person who violates any of the provisions of KRS 149.360 to 149.430 except KRS 149.380 shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500) or imprisoned for not more than six (6) months, or both such fine and imprisonment. (2)…

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Administrative regulation" means a written regulation promulgated, pursuant to KRS Chapter 13A, by the commissioner with the approval of the commission; (2) "Angling" means the taking or attempting to take fish …

wildlife -- Liberal construction -- Promotion of hunger relief through wildlife management and conservation. (1) The declared purpose of Acts 1952, ch. 200, and the policy of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is to protect and conserve the wildlife of this Commonwealth so as to insur…

to Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet -- Assessment of fee for debt service on radio system capital project -- Department not subject to reorganization. (1) The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources shall constitute an independent department of state government within the me…

processes and conditions -- Ethics requirement -- Prohibition against use of state seal -- Definition of "sportsman" and sportswoman". (1) The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission shall consist of nine (9) members, one (1) from each commission district, as set out…

(1) The members of the commission shall meet in Frankfort, quarterly, upon a date to be determined and fixed by the commissioner, or as often as may be necessary for the transaction of business, upon reasonable notice to each member of such meetings. Committees created by the com…

The department shall have the right to acquire such property as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this chapter, and it shall have the right of eminent domain as provided in the Eminent Domain Act of Kentucky.

Duties of commission and other state agencies -- Reports. (1) As used in this section unless the context otherwise requires: (a) "Commission" has the same meaning as in KRS 150.010; (b) "Commission-managed lands" means those lands owned by the commission, those lands owned by the…

Ethics -- Administrative regulations. (1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the department shall conduct all procurements necessary for the performance of its duties in accordance with the procurement procedures outlined in KRS Chapter 45A, this chapter, and t…

fish, including seasons and limits -- Inclusion of administrative regulations on department's website. (1) In carrying out the provisions of this chapter the department may, by administrative regulations promulgated under the provisions of KRS Chapter 13A: (a) Fix, close, termina…

administrative regulations affecting property owners or occupants of property adjacent to a lake or other real property owned or controlled by the department. (1) Not less than sixty (60) days nor more than ninety (90) days prior to the submission of a proposed administrative reg…

The department shall promulgate administrative regulations regarding: (1) Specific permitted and prohibited uses of department-owned property and activities on department-owned property; (2) For a violation of an administrative regulation promulgated under subsection (1), (4), or…

Vacancies in office -- Compensation -- Oath -- Bond -- Duties -- Annual report -- Salary structure guidelines -- Authority to appoint additional employees if grant funds available. (1) (a) Notwithstanding any provisions of KRS Chapter 18A, 42, 45, 45A, 56, or 64 to the contrary, …

The commissioner may employ temporarily such other persons as he may deem necessary or desirable to accomplish the duties and functions assigned by law to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; may fix the compensation and the terms of employment of those employed; and ma…

While retaining the right to vote as he may please and to express privately his opinion of all political subjects and issues, no employee or officer of the department including the commissioner, shall take any active part in political management or political campaigns, nor shall …

to be necessary for the efficient administration of the department -- Each game warden is individually vested with the powers of a peace officer in all parts of the state -- Employment contract permitted. (1) The commissioner shall appoint, promote, or take other employment actio…

lands incentive programs -- Arrest and citation authority. (1) Persons shall not enter upon the lands of another to shoot, hunt, trap, or fish, or for other wildlife-related recreational purposes, without the oral or written permission of the landowner, tenant, or person who has …

Game wardens are authorized to keep and bear arms upon their person, concealed or otherwise, in the same manner as all other peace officers, and to exercise the use of such arms to such extent as the same may be necessary in the discharge of their duties.

or her individual capacity and personally suffers financial loss -- Indemnification contingent upon findings that the act or omission which resulted in liability was lawful and proper and within the officer's scope and course of employment -- Indemnification does not abrogate, li…

appointed by commissioner. The commissioner, all personnel of the department and all officers and other persons appointed by the commissioner may execute any process issued by a court, enforcing the provisions of this chapter or any law relating to the propagation or protection o…

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the commissioner may, with the approval of the commission, authorize game wardens or any other persons to destroy or bring under control in such manner as he deems necessary any wild animal, fish or wild birds, protected or un…

The commissioner and game wardens may arrest without warrant anyone violating any of the provisions of KRS 150.520 or any of the rules and regulations made by the department for the protection of mussels under this chapter. They may inspect mussels in any warehouse, boat, store, …

(1) The commissioner, all game wardens, persons appointed by the commissioner, and all peace officers and their deputies shall seize and take possession of any and all furs, wildlife, guns, dogs, instruments, boats, or devices which have been taken, used, transported, or possesse…

All county attorneys and Commonwealth's attorneys shall enforce the provisions of this chapter and all regulations adopted hereunder.

Each circuit clerk responsible for the court before whom any prosecution under this chapter for the violation of any law or regulation for the protection of wildlife may be commenced or shall go on appeal shall, within ten (10) days after the end of each month, report in writing …

Accounting and report -- Contribution to Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program. (1) (a) Except as provided in this chapter, all moneys derived from the sale of licenses or from any other source connected with the administration of this chapter shall be promptly paid over to the Stat…

Each year when the Auditor of Public Accounts conducts the statewide single audit of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Auditor of Public Accounts shall with respect to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources: (1) Examine the separate revenue streams of each account within t…

Sixty percent (60%) of a fine imposed for the violation of this chapter or KRS Chapter 235 shall, when collected, be paid into the game and fish fund.

(1) There is established a special fund to be known as the "Nongame Fish and Wildlife Fund" which shall be under the control of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission for the purpose of protecting and preserving nongame fish and wildlife and their habitat. (2) T…

-- Rights and privileges of resident owners of private land and bodies of water -- Taking of wildlife causing damage -- Reporting requirements -- Reciprocity with adjoining states -- Exception for active duty or reserve members on military property -- Exemption from live-fire hun…

hunting or trapping -- Exceptions -- Administrative regulations. (1) Any person who is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm may carry a firearm and ammunition for that firearm for purposes of self-defense and defense of others while hunting, fishing, t…

The kinds of licenses and tags authorized by this chapter, and the acts authorized to be performed under the licenses and tags, subject to the other provisions of this chapter and subject to administrative regulations promulgated under this chapter, shall be as follows: (1) State…

organization. In addition to the game permits issued under KRS 150.175, the commission may issue a special permit to an incorporated nonprofit wildlife conservation organization. The commission shall promulgate administrative regulations governing the number of special permits to…

In addition to the game permits issued under KRS 150.175, the commission may promulgate administrative regulations allowing the issuance of cooperator permits to individuals or entities who enroll land with the department for public hunting and meet all applicable regulatory requ…

event supporting a recreational activity -- Free-fishing weekend. (1) In this section, "recreational activity" means hunting, fishing, or trapping for sport. (2) For an event or program supporting a recreational activity, the commission may waive the requirement that participants…

fur, or processed wildlife. (1) Except as otherwise provided for in this chapter, and subject to regulations adopted under this chapter, no person, for himself or as the agent or employee of another shall buy, or sell, or attempt to buy, or sell, barter, exchange, or trade, or ha…