I
105TH CONGRESS
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 Representa-
tives 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 sub-
section.
‘‘(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 rep-
resentations of stamps, electronically by endorse-
ment 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 11⁄2, in linear dimension, of the ac-
tual Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conserva-
tion Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp).
‘‘(3) SIZE OF ELECTRONIC STAMPS.—An elec-
tronic stamp shall be of an area that is less than 3⁄4,
or more than 11⁄2, of the area of an actual stamp.
‘‘(4) CONFIRMATION
NUMBER
AND
OTHER
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.—
‘‘(A) CONFIRMATION
NUMBER.—An elec-
tronic stamp shall be assigned a unique con-
firmation number.
‘‘(B) 
OTHER
IDENTIFYING
INFORMA-
TION.—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 con-
firmation 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 responsibil-
ity for the sale, delivery, and mailing of the cor-
responding 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 dur-
ing 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 ac-
tual 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 re-
quirements 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 re-
ceived a plan submitted by the party in question
which provides for a satisfactory accounting process
for the collection and transfer of revenue, distribu-
tion, and law enforcement verification of the elec-
tronic transaction, and the subsequent distribution
of the actual stamp.