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S. B. No. 2657 *SS08/R1003CS* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Wildlife, Fisheries and
Parks
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Suber, Butler
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 2657
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-181, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO CREATE THE WILD TURKEY STAMP FUND AS A SPECIAL FUND WITHIN THE 2
STATE TREASURY; TO PROVIDE THAT ALL REVENUE COLLECTED FROM THE 3
PROCEEDS OF WILD TURKEY STAMPS SHALL BE DEPOSITED INTO SUCH FUND 4
AND SHALL BE DESIGNATED FOR USE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, 5
FISHERIES AND PARKS ONLY FOR CERTAIN OBJECTIVES; AND FOR RELATED 6
PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 49-7-181, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
49-7-181. (1) For the purposes of this section, the 11
following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed 12
herein unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: 13
(a) "Wild turkey" means the game bird Meleagris 14
gallopavo. 15
(b) "Stamp" means the state wild turkey stamp, either 16
in its physical or electronic form, furnished by the commission. 17
A stamp is a specialized permit required for hunting wild turkeys, 18
with proceeds directly dispersed into the conservation, 19
management, protection or scientific research of wild turkeys. 20
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(c) "Harvest tag" means the electronic tool used to 21
serve as an inventory of the annual bag limit allotted to 22
individual wild turkey hunters. Harvest tags are invalidated upon 23
the harvest of a wild turkey. 24
(d) "Nongovernmental entity" means a nonprofit 25
organization primarily concerned with the protection and 26
conservation of land and natural resources, as evidenced by its 27
organizational documents. 28
(2) (a) It shall be unlawful for any person not exempt 29
under paragraph (b) of this subsection to hunt or take wild 30
turkeys during any open wild turkey season in this state without 31
first having procured a stamp. The electronic stamp on file with 32
the commission shall serve as proof of procurement. 33
(b) Any resident citizen of this state who has not 34
reached the age of sixteen (16) years or who has reached the age 35
of sixty-five (65) years, or any resident citizen who is blind, 36
paraplegic or a multiple amputee, or who has been adjudged by the 37
Veterans Administration as having a total service-connected 38
disability, or has been adjudged to be totally disabled by the 39
Social Security Administration shall be exempt from the 40
requirements of this section. Further, the holder of any lifetime 41
sportsman license authorized under Section 49-7-153 shall be 42
exempt from the requirements of this section. 43
(3) The fee to resident hunters for each stamp shall be Ten 44
Dollars ($10.00). The fee to nonresident hunters for each stamp 45
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shall be One Hundred Dollars ($100.00). Each stamp shall be valid 46
through the final day of the spring wild turkey season following 47
its purchase. After its expiration, another stamp must be 48
procured in order to hunt or take wild turkeys in a future open 49
wild turkey season. 50
(4) Except for persons exempted under subsection (2)(b) of 51
this section, the commission may make the procurement of harvest 52
tags dependent upon the purchase of a stamp. 53
(5) The commission shall determine the form of the stamp. 54
The commission shall furnish physical stamps to bonded agents for 55
issuance or sale in the same manner as other types of licenses or 56
shall cause the electronic stamp to accrue to the purchaser's 57
benefit when purchased from an automated point-of-sale source. 58
(6) Any person violating any of the provisions of this 59
section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, 60
shall be fined not less than Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) nor more 61
than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) as prescribed in Section 62
49-7-101. 63
(7) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to 64
be designated as the "Wild Turkey Stamp Fund." All revenue 65
collected from the proceeds of stamps shall be deposited into 66
the * * * fund created in * * * this subsection (7) and shall 67
be * * * designated for use by the department only for the 68
following objectives: 69
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ST: Wild Turkey Stamp Fund; create and provide
that revenue collected from wild turkey stamp
sales be deposited into for certain objectives.
(a) Paying administrative or processing costs 70
associated with an electronic harvest tag program, or any other 71
program governing or regulating the harvest of wild turkeys; 72
(b) Restoring, enhancing or protecting wild turkey 73
populations or their habitats on public or private lands in 74
Mississippi as prescribed by the department; 75
(c) Funding scientific research, as conducted by 76
qualified professionals, into the ecology or management of wild 77
turkeys, their habitats or their predators; and 78
(d) Increasing access to publicly available turkey 79
hunting opportunities. 80
(8) Proceeds from stamps may be used as matching funds or 81
fiscal leverage to secure grants or other financial awards which 82
are deemed to align with the objectives in subsection (7) of this 83
section. No such proceeds shall be expended for administrative 84
salaries. 85
(9) The commission may enter into agreements with other 86
state, federal or nongovernmental entities to execute the 87
objectives in subsection (7) of this section. 88
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 89
and after its passage. 90