S.B. 1256 Summary

• Amends Section 183-5 to increase administrative fines for destroying, damaging, or harvesting trees on state forest reserves to up to $10,000 or three times the market value at time of violation, whichever is greater, plus restoration and habitat replacement costs.

• Establishes tiered administrative penalties for general forest reserve violations: $2,500 for first violation, $5,000 for second violation within 5 years, and $10,000 for third or subsequent violation within 5 years.

• Creates new traffic infraction penalties for vehicular parking or traffic violations in forest reserves under Chapter 291D: $100 for first violation, $200 for second, and $500 for third or subsequent violation.

• Revises Section 183-18 criminal penalties to make general forest reserve violations petty misdemeanors with mandatory fines ($100 minimum for first offense, $500 for second within 5 years, $1,000 for third within 5 years), while violations of Section 183-17 (tree harvesting) remain misdemeanors with fines up to $2,000 or imprisonment up to one year.

• Repeals Section 183-4 general penalty provision and clarifies that civil and criminal actions are not mutually exclusive; effective December 31, 2050.