A. Immediately upon the appointment of the Director, he shall become vested with the duties and powers of the management and control of the Department under such provisions, orders, rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Commission, and in addition thereto shall have the following specific powers and duties:

1. To manage and control, under the supervision of the Commission, all wildlife refuges and real or personal properties which are held, operated or maintained by the Department.

2. To appoint and employ such assistants, department heads, rangers, clerical help and other employees as the Commission may deem necessary, subject to the approval of the Commission. The Director shall fix and determine the salaries and wages to be paid under and subject to the rules and regulations as promulgated by the Commission; and the Director shall supervise and direct all employees of either the Commission or the Department and may suspend, discharge, station or transfer them at any time that, in his judgment, the Commission or the state will be best served thereby.

3. To approve or disapprove and pay all legal claims for services rendered or expenses incurred by rangers and other employees of the Department in accordance with the schedules therefor and the rules and regulations previously adopted by the Commission.

4. To establish and maintain a proper system of bookkeeping and accounting under the supervision of the State Auditor and Inspector.

5. To promote and manage wildlife propagation by raising and distributing the same over the state at the direction of the Commission; to capture, propagate, transport, buy, sell or exchange any species of fish, game, furbearing animals and protected birds needed for stocking the lands or waters of the state; and to feed, provide and care for such fish, animals and birds.

6. To make a complaint and cause proceedings to be commenced against any person for violation of any of the laws for the conservation of wildlife with the sanction of the district attorney of the county in which such proceedings are brought, and shall not be required to give security for costs. The Director may also appear in behalf of the people in any court of competent jurisdiction in any prosecution for a violation of any of the laws for the protection of wildlife, and may prosecute the same in the same manner and with the same authority as the district attorney of the county where such proceedings are pending in cases where such attorney is unable to be present or refuses to prosecute such case.

7. To make emergency purchases of equipment, materials and supplies under rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission.

B. All duties and authority imposed or conferred upon the former Wildlife Conservation Director by any statute, rule or regulation of the Commission are hereby imposed and conferred upon the Director until such time as the Commission or the Legislature shall, by appropriate measure, change such duties or authority imposed by said Commission.

Laws 1974, c. 17, § 3-105, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974; Laws 1979, c. 30, § 88, emerg. eff. April 6, 1979.