1. The Wildlife Heritage Account is hereby created in the State General Fund. The money in the Account must be used by the Department as provided in this section for:

(a) The protection, propagation, restoration, transplantation, introduction and management of any game fish, game mammal, game bird or fur-bearing mammal in this State; and

(b) The management and control of predatory wildlife in this State.

2. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 502.250, money received by the Department from:

(a) A bid, auction, Silver State Tag Drawing or Partnership in Wildlife Drawing conducted pursuant to NRS 502.250; and

(b) A gift of money made by any person to the Wildlife Heritage Account,

must be deposited with the State Treasurer for credit to the Account.

3. The interest and income earned on the money in the Wildlife Heritage Account, after deducting any applicable charges, must be credited to the Account.

4. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the Department may annually expend from the Wildlife Heritage Account an amount of money not greater than 75 percent of the money deposited in the Account pursuant to subsection 2 during the previous year and the total amount of interest earned on the money in the Account during the previous year. In addition, the Department may, at any time, expend from the Account any portion of the amount of money in the Account which exceeds $5,000,000. The Commission shall review and approve expenditures from the Account. No money may be expended from the Account without the prior approval of the Commission.

5. The Commission shall administer the provisions of this section and may adopt any regulations necessary for that purpose.

(Added to NRS by 1995, 863; A 1997, 785; 2003, 1527; 2005, 584; 2009, 2056; 2015, 93; 2019, 757)