§ 143-250.1. Wildlife Endowment Fund.
§ 143‑250.1. Wildlife Endowment Fund.
(a) Recognizing the inestimable importance to the State and itspeople of conserving the wildlife resources of North Carolina, and for thepurpose of providing the opportunity for citizens and residents of the State toinvest in the future of its wildlife resources, there is created the NorthCarolina Wildlife Endowment Fund, the income and principal of which shall beused only for the purpose of supporting wildlife conservation programs of theState in accordance with this section. This fund shall also be known as theEddie Bridges Fund.
(b) There is created the Board of Trustees of the WildlifeEndowment Fund of the Wildlife Resources Commission, with full authority overthe administration of the Wildlife Endowment Fund, whose ex officio chairman,vice‑chairman, and members shall be the chairman, vice‑chairman,and members of the Wildlife Resources Commission. The State Treasurer shall bethe custodian of the Wildlife Endowment Fund and shall invest its assets inaccordance with the provisions of G.S. 147‑69.2 and 147‑69.3.
(c) The assets of the Wildlife Endowment Fund shall be derivedfrom the following:
(1) The proceeds of any gifts, grants and contributions to theState which are specifically designated for inclusion in the fund;
(2) The proceeds from the sale of lifetime sportsman combinationlicenses issued pursuant to G.S. 113‑270.1D;
(3) The proceeds from the sale of lifetime hunting and lifetimefishing licenses pursuant to G.S. 113‑270.2(c)(2) and G.S. 113‑271(d)(3);
(4) The proceeds of lifetime subscriptions to the magazineWildlife in North Carolina at such rates as may be established from time totime by the Wildlife Resources Commission;
(5) Any amount in excess of the statutory fee for a particularlifetime license or lifetime subscription shall become an asset of the fund andshall qualify as a tax exempt donation to the State;
(5a) The proceeds from the sale of lifetime combination huntingand fishing licenses for disabled residents pursuant to G.S. 113‑270.1C(b)(4);
(6) Such other sources as may be specified by law.
(d) The Wildlife Endowment Fund is declared to constitute aspecial trust derived from a contractual relationship between the State and themembers of the public whose investments contribute to the fund. In recognitionof such special trust, the following limitations and restrictions are placed onexpenditures from the funds:
(1) Any limitations or restrictions specified by the donors onthe uses of the income derived from gifts, grants and voluntary contributionsshall be respected but shall not be binding.
(2) No expenditures or disbursements from the income from theproceeds derived from the sale of Infant Lifetime Sportsman or Youth LifetimeSportsman Licenses pursuant to G.S. 113‑270.1D(b)(1) or (2) shall be madefor any purpose until the respective holders of such licenses attain the age of16 years. The State Treasurer, as custodian of the fund, shall determineactuarially from time to time the amount of income within the fund which remainsencumbered by and which is free of this restriction. For such purpose, theexecutive director shall cause deposits of proceeds from Infant LifetimeSportsman Licenses to be distinguished and deposits of proceeds from YouthLifetime Sportsman Licenses to be accompanied by information as to the ages ofthe license recipients.
(3) No expenditure or disbursement shall be made from theprincipal of the Wildlife Endowment Fund except as otherwise proved by law.
(4) The income received and accruing from the investments of theWildlife Endowment Fund must be spent only in furthering the conservation ofwildlife resources and the efficient operation of the North Carolina WildlifeResources Commission in accomplishing the purposes of the agency as set forthin G.S. 143‑239.
(e) The Board of Trustees of the Wildlife Endowment Fund mayaccumulate the investment income of the fund until the income, in the solejudgment of the trustees, can provide a significant supplement to the budget ofthe Wildlife Resources Commission. After that time the trustees, in their solediscretion and authority, may direct expenditures from the income of the fundfor the purposes set out in division (4) of subsection (d).
(f) Expenditure of the income derived from the WildlifeEndowment Fund shall be made through the State budget accounts of the WildlifeResources Commission in accordance with the provisions of the Executive BudgetAct. The Wildlife Endowment Fund is subject to the oversight of the StateAuditor pursuant to Article 5A of Chapter 147 of the General Statutes.
(g) The Wildlife Endowment Fund and the income therefrom shallnot take the place of State appropriations or agency receipts placed in theWildlife Resources Fund, or any part thereof, but any portion of the income ofthe Wildlife Endowment Fund available for the purpose set out in division (4)of subsection (d) shall be used to supplement other income of andappropriations to the Wildlife Resources Commission to the end that theCommission may improve and increase its services and become more useful to agreater number of people.
(h) In the event of a future dissolution of the WildlifeResources Commission, such State agency as shall succeed to its budgetaryauthority shall, ex officio, assume the trusteeship of the Wildlife EndowmentFund and shall be bound by all the limitations and restrictions placed by thissection on expenditures from the Fund. No repeal or modification of thissection or of G.S. 143‑239 shall alter the fundamental purposes to whichthe Wildlife Endowment Fund may be applied. No future dissolution of theWildlife Resources Commission or substitution of any agency in its stead shallinvalidate any lifetime license issued in accordance with G.S. 113‑270.1D(b),113‑270.2(c)(2), or 113‑271(d)(3). (1981, c. 482, s. 1; 1993, c. 257, s. 15; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c.684, ss. 10‑12; 1997‑326, s. 4.)