(a) "Enforcement officer" has the meaning given that term in ORS 153.005.
(b) "Food establishment" has the meaning given that term in ORS 616.695.
(c) "Taken" means killed or captured, whether inside or outside of this state.
(d) "Vehicle" has the meaning given that term in ORS 801.590.
(e) "Wildlife" has the meaning given that term in ORS 496.004.
(2) The State Department of Fish and Wildlife may operate wildlife inspection stations for the purposes of:
(a) Preventing the spread of chronic wasting disease or other infections or infestations harmful to wildlife; or
(b) Collecting information in furtherance of wildlife management efforts.
(3) The operator of a vehicle that is transporting taken wildlife or parts of taken wildlife shall stop for inspection of the wildlife or parts of wildlife when arriving at a wildlife inspection station described in this section. This subsection does not apply to the transporting of parts of taken wildlife that have been processed by a food establishment.
(4) A wildlife inspection station described in this section must be:
(a) Operated as provided under policies and guidelines adopted by the State Fish and Wildlife Director;
(b) Plainly marked by signs that conform to applicable state and federal laws; and
(c) Staffed by at least one uniformed employee of the State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
(5) The wildlife inspection station purposes described in subsection (2) of this section do not prohibit or restrict State Department of Fish and Wildlife employees from carrying out other lawful actions while operating a wildlife inspection station, including but not limited to requesting to see angling or hunting licenses.
(6) The operator of a vehicle that is transporting taken wildlife or parts of taken wildlife commits a Class A violation if the operator fails to stop for inspection of the wildlife when arriving at a wildlife inspection station.
(7) Notwithstanding ORS 153.042, an enforcement officer authorized to enforce wildlife laws in this state may issue a citation under subsection (6) of this section when the conduct alleged to constitute a violation did not take place in the presence of the enforcement officer, if the enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the conduct constitutes a violation on the basis of information received from a department employee who is staffing a wildlife inspection station and observes the violation. [2021 c.98 §1]
Note: 496.716 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 496 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.