§20-2B-5. Accumulation of investment income; how expenditures made; fund exclusive of other receipts and

appropriations; dissolution of department.

(a) The board of trustees of the wildlife endowment fund may accumulate investment income of the fund within the fund until the income, in the sole judgment of the trustees, can provide a significant supplement to the budget of the department of natural resources. After that time the trustees, in their sole discretion and authority, may direct expenditures from the income of the fund to further the conservation of wildlife resources.

(b) Expenditure of the income derived from the wildlife endowment fund shall be made through the state budget accounts of the department of natural resources. The wildlife endowment fund is subject to the oversight of the State Auditor.

(c) The wildlife endowment fund and the income derived therefrom shall not take the place of any other receipts or appropriations accruing to the department of natural resources, or any part thereof, but any portion of the income of the wildlife endowment fund shall be used to supplement other income of and appropriations to the department of natural resources to the end that the department may improve and increase its services to the people of the state and the conservation of their wildlife resources.

(d) In the event of the future dissolution of the department of natural resources, such state agency as shall succeed to its statutory authority to conserve the wildlife resources of the state shall, ex officio, assume the trusteeship of the wildlife endowment fund and shall be bound by all the limitations and restrictions placed by this section on expenditures from the fund. No appeal or modification of this section shall alter the fundamental purposes to which the wildlife endowment fund may be applied. No future dissolution of the department of natural resources shall invalidate any lifetime license issued in accordance with section seven of this article.