§ 113-302.1. Inspection of licensed or commercial premises; authority to secure inspection warrants.
§ 113‑302.1. Inspection of licensed or commercial premises; authority to secure inspectionwarrants.
(a) Protectors are authorized to enter and make a reasonableinspection at an appropriate time of day of any premises in which a personsubject to administrative control under G.S. 113‑276.2 conducts hisoperations to determine whether any wildlife on the premises is possessed inaccordance with applicable laws and rules, required records are being kept, andother legal requirements are being observed. It is an appropriate time of dayfor inspection if the establishment is open for business or if a proprietor oremployee is on the premises.
(b) In cases not controlled by subsection (a), protectors whobelieve that wildlife may be on the premises of any public refrigerationstorage plant, meat shop, store, produce market, hotel, restaurant, or otherpublic food‑storage or eating place may request permission to enter thenonpublic areas of the premises to make a reasonable inspection to determinewhether any wildlife on the premises is possessed in accordance with applicablelaws and rules. If the person in charge of the premises refuses the inspectionrequest of a protector, he is authorized to procure and execute anadministrative search warrant issued under the terms of Article 4A of Chapter15 of the General Statutes or under any successor legislation.
(c) In cases controlled by subsection (a), an administrativesearch warrant may be secured in the protector's discretion or if case lawrequires it. Nothing in this section is intended to prevent a lawful search ofpremises, with or without a search warrant under Chapter 15A of the GeneralStatutes, when the circumstances so justify. (1979, c. 830, s. 1; 1987, c. 827, s. 98.)