[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4803 Introduced in House (IH)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 4803

  To authorize electronic issuance and recognition of migratory bird 
                    hunting and conservation stamps.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 10, 1998

  Mr. Tauzin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize electronic issuance and recognition of migratory bird 
                    hunting and conservation stamps.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. ELECTRONIC ISSUANCE OF MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING AND CONSERVATION 
              STAMPS.

    Section 2 of the Act of March 16, 1934 (16 U.S.C. 718b), is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Electronic Issuance of Stamps.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Actual stamp.--The term `actual stamp' means 
                a printed paper stamp that is issued and sold through a 
                means in use on the day before the date of enactment of 
                this subsection.
                    ``(B) Electronic stamp.--The term `electronic 
                stamp' means a representation of a stamp issued 
                electronically under paragraph (2).
                    ``(C) Stamp.--The term `stamp' means a migratory 
                bird hunting and conservation stamp required by the 
                first section.
            ``(2) Authorization.--The Department of the Interior, the 
        Postal Service, or, subject to paragraph (7), a State or person 
        authorized under subsection (a) to sell stamps, may issue the 
        stamps, or representations of stamps, electronically by 
        endorsement affixed to licenses issued at points of sale or 
        through other electronic media. However, any such 
        representation, if issued, shall be of a size less than \3/4\, 
        or more than 1\1/2\, in linear dimension, of the actual Federal 
        Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck 
        Stamp).
            ``(3) Size of electronic stamps.--An electronic stamp shall 
        be of an area that is less than \3/4\, or more than 1\1/2\, of 
        the area of an actual stamp.
            ``(4) Confirmation number and other identifying 
        information.--
                    ``(A) Confirmation number.--An electronic stamp 
                shall be assigned a unique confirmation number.
                    ``(B) Other identifying information.--Each issuer 
                of an electronic stamp or unique confirmation number 
                shall also print on any representation or pertinent 
                license issued, appropriate information for Federal, 
                State, and other law enforcement officers to verify the 
                confirmation number, representation, and sales 
                transaction with the licensee.
            ``(5) Delivery of actual stamps.--An entity that issues 
        electronic stamps or representations under paragraph (1) shall 
        have financial responsibility for the sale, delivery, and 
        mailing of the corresponding printed (actual) Federal Migratory 
        Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp to the licensee within 14 
        calendar days of issuance.
            ``(6) Recognition of electronic stamps.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An electronic stamp and its 
                unique confirmation number shall--
                            ``(i) subject to the requirements of the 
                        first section, be given full recognition during 
                        the period beginning on the date of issuance of 
                        the electronic stamp until the date on which 
                        the corresponding actual stamp is received; and
                            ``(ii) expire and be replaced by the actual 
                        stamp upon receipt of the actual stamp, but not 
                        later than 14 calendar days after the date of 
                        issuance of the electronic stamp, if the 
                        licensee complies with the requirements of the 
                        first section.
            ``(7) Approval by the secretary.--No State or other person 
        may participate in the electronic issuance of a Federal 
        Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp unless the 
        Secretary has received a plan submitted by the party in 
        question which provides for a satisfactory accounting process 
        for the collection and transfer of revenue, distribution, and 
        law enforcement verification of the electronic transaction, and 
        the subsequent distribution of the actual stamp.
            ``(8) Electronic collection of electronic stamp sales 
        revenue.--Not later than 14 days after the date of issuance of 
        an electronic stamp under this subsection, a State or person 
        shall transfer to the Department of the Interior or a 
        designated agent the revenue collected from the issuance by 
        means of an electronic fund transfer method approved by, and 
        compatible with, the accounting system of the Department of the 
        Interior or the designated agent.''.
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