571—15.17(456A) Wildlife violator compact. The department has entered into the wildlife violator compact (the compact) with other states for the uniform enforcement of license suspensions. The compact, a copy of which may be obtained by contacting the department’s law enforcement bureau, is adopted herein by reference. The procedures set forth in this rule shall apply to license suspensions pursuant to the wildlife violator compact.
	15.17(1) Definitions. For purposes of this rule, the following definitions shall apply:
“Compliance” with respect to a citation means the act of answering a citation through an appearance in a court or through the payment of all fines, costs, and surcharges, if any.
“Department” means the Iowa department of natural resources.
“Issuing state” means a participating state that issues a fish or wildlife citation to a person.
“Participating state” means any state which enacts legislation to become a member of the wildlife violator compact. Iowa is a participating state pursuant to Iowa Code section 456A.24(14).
	15.17(2) Suspension of licenses for noncompliance. Upon the receipt of a valid notice of failure to comply, as defined in the compact, the department shall issue a notice of suspension to the Iowa resident. The notice of suspension shall:
	a. 	Indicate that all department-issued hunting (including furbearer) or fishing licenses shall be suspended, effective 30 days from the receipt of the notice, unless the department receives proof of compliance.
	b. 	Inform the violator of the facts behind the suspension with special emphasis on the procedures to be followed in resolving the matter with the court in the issuing state. Accurate information in regard to the court (name, address, telephone number) must be provided in the notice of suspension.
	c. 	Notify the license holder of the right to appeal the notice of suspension within 30 days of receipt. Said appeal shall be conducted pursuant to 571—Chapter 7 but shall be limited to the issues of whether the person so notified has a pending charge in the issuing state, whether the person has previously received notice of the violation from the issuing state, and whether the pending charge is subject to a license suspension for failure to comply pursuant to the terms of the compact.
	d. 	Notify the license holder that, prior to the effective date of suspension, a person may avoid suspension through an appearance in the court with jurisdiction over the underlying violations or through the payment of all fines, costs, and surcharges associated with the violations.
	e. 	Indicate that, once a suspension has become effective, the suspension may only be lifted upon the final resolution of the underlying violations.
	15.17(3) Reinstatement of licenses. Any license suspended pursuant to this rule may be reinstated upon the receipt of an acknowledgement of compliance from the issuing state, a copy of a court judgment, or a certificate from the court with jurisdiction over the underlying violations and the payment of applicable Iowa license fees.
	15.17(4) Issuance of notice of failure to comply. When a nonresident is issued a citation by the state of Iowa for violations of any provisions under the jurisdiction of the natural resource commission which is covered by the suspension procedures of the compact and fails to timely resolve said citation by payment of applicable fines or by properly contesting the citation through the courts, the department shall issue a notice of failure to comply.
	a. 	The notice of failure to comply shall be delivered to the violator by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by personal service.
	b. 	The notice of failure to comply shall provide the violator with 14 days to comply with the terms of the citation. The violator may avoid the imposition of the suspension by answering a citation through an appearance in a court or through the payment of all fines, costs, and surcharges, if any.
	c. 	If the violator fails to achieve compliance, as defined in this rule, within 14 days of receipt of the notice of failure to comply, the department shall forward a copy of the notice of failure to comply to the home state of the violator.
	15.17(5) Issuance of acknowledgement of compliance. When a person who has previously been issued a notice of failure to comply achieves compliance, as defined in this rule, the department shall issue an acknowledgement of compliance to the person who was issued the notice of failure to comply.
	15.17(6) Reciprocal recognition of suspensions. Upon receipt of notification from a state that is a member of the wildlife violator compact that the state has suspended or revoked any person’s hunting or fishing license privileges, the department shall:
	a. 	Enter the person’s identifying information into the records of the department.
	b. 	Deny all applications for licenses to the person for the term of the suspension or until the department is notified by the suspending state that the suspension has been lifted.
[ARC 7893C, IAB 5/1/24, effective 6/5/24]