§551. Authority for payment.

(a) General rule.--Except as limited by subsection (b), the commission may pay for any damage done to livestock or poultry or damage done to bees or bee-keeping equipment by bears upon lands open to public hunting and lands within safety zones if the damages are reported to an office of the commission within ten days of the damage and the claims are presented in a sworn written statement.

(b) Bee hives and equipment.--No claim for damage to bees or their hives or bee-keeping equipment shall be paid if any of the following factors occurred:

(1) The bear is killed.

(2) The affected hives are located more than 300 yards from the domicile of the owner or from the domicile of his employee or other agent in charge thereof.

(3) The claim is a second or subsequent claim filed by the claimant and the claimant has not erected, maintained and operated a commission-approved and furnished bear deterrent fence around the hives.

(c) Restriction on claimants.--All payments for bear damages shall be restricted to persons domiciled in this Commonwealth.