17-299. Arizona wildlife conservation fund

(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. The Arizona wildlife conservation fund is established consisting of monies deposited pursuant to section 5-601.02(H)(3)(b)(iii) and interest earned on those monies. The Arizona state game and fish commission shall administer the fund. The fund is not subject to appropriation, and expenditures from the fund are not subject to outside approval notwithstanding any provision of sections 17-241 or 17-261 or any other statutory provisions to the contrary.

B. Monies received pursuant to section 5-601.02 shall be deposited directly with the Arizona wildlife conservation fund. On notice from the Arizona state game and fish commission, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund. No monies in the Arizona wildlife conservation fund shall revert to or be deposited in any other fund, including the state general fund. Monies in the Arizona wildlife conservation fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to the lapsing of appropriations. Monies provided from the Arizona wildlife conservation fund shall supplement, not supplant, existing monies.

C. All monies in the Arizona wildlife conservation fund shall be spent by the Arizona state game and fish commission to conserve, enhance, and restore Arizona's diverse wildlife resources and habitats for present and future generations, and which may include the acquisition of real property. The commission may grant monies to any agency of the state or any political subdivision, Indian tribe, or non-profit organization exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(c) of the internal revenue code for the purpose of conservation of wildlife or wildlife habitat or acquisition of real property or interest in real property that is wildlife habitat. A grant of money under this subsection to a nonprofit organization is conditioned on the organization providing reasonable public access to any land that is wholly or partly purchased with that money.