(a) The commission may determine and fix the area or areas, the seasons and hours, the bag and possession limit, and the sex and total number of pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) that may be taken under regulations that the commission may adopt from time to time. Only a person possessing a valid hunting license, who has not received a pronghorn antelope tag under these provisions during a period of time specified by the commission, may obtain a tag for the taking of pronghorn antelope.

(b) The department may issue a pronghorn antelope tag upon payment of a fee. The fee for a pronghorn antelope tag shall be fifty-five dollars ($55) for a resident of the state, as adjusted under Section 713. On or before July 1, 2007, the commission shall, by regulation, fix the fee for a nonresident of the state at not less than a fee of three hundred fifty dollars ($350), as adjusted under Section 713. The fees shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended, in addition to moneys budgeted for salaries of persons in the department as set forth in Section 3953.

(c) The commission shall direct the department to annually authorize not less than one pronghorn antelope tag or more than 1 percent of the total number of tags available for the purpose of raising funds for programs and projects to benefit pronghorn antelope. These tags may be sold at auction to residents or nonresidents of the state or by another method and are not subject to the fee limitation prescribed in subdivision (b). All revenues from sales pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended as set forth in that section.

(d) The commission shall direct the department to annually authorize one pronghorn antelope tag of the total number of tags available for issuance to nonresidents of the state.

(e) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2025.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 295, Sec. 2. (AB 2151) Effective January 1, 2019. Section operative July 1, 2025, by its own provisions.)