Georgia § 27-5-2 - 1. Definitions; importation restrictions; prohibition on possession of cervid carcasses.

§ 27-5-2. 1. Definitions; importation restrictions; prohibition on possession of cervid carcasses.

As used in this Code section, the term: "Cervid" means a member of the family cervidae. "Chronic wasting disease" means a fatal disease that belongs to a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and that affects the brains of cervids. "Clean" means having no meat matter or tissue attached to the carcass part. "Importation" means the transportation of a cervid, cervid carcass, or carcass part into this state. "Whole" means the entire carcass, whether eviscerated or not, prior to the carcass being processed. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, or association to import, bring, or cause to be imported or brought into this state any live cervid, except as otherwise authorized by rule or regulation of the board in effect as of January 1, 2007, or such later date as may be provided by Code Section 27-1-39. Any person who violates paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,500.00 nor more than $5,000.00, imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months, or both such fine and imprisonment. The hunting and fishing privileges of any person convicted of violating paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be suspended for not less than three years from the date of conviction. It shall be unlawful for any person to import or possess a whole cervid carcass or cervid carcass part from any state having a documented case of a cervid infected with chronic wasting disease, except for any one or more of the following cervid carcass parts: Boned-out meat and commercially processed cuts of meat; Portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached; Hides with no heads attached; Clean skull plates with antlers attached; Clean antlers; Finished taxidermy heads; and Clean upper canine teeth (buglers, whistlers, ivories). (Code 1981, § 27-5-2.1 , enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 226, § 4/HB 338.) Code Commission notes. - Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2006, a colon was substituted for a comma at the end of the introductory language of subsection (a).