TITLE 18

CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS

CHAPTER 33

FIREARMS, EXPLOSIVES AND OTHER DEADLY WEAPONS

18-3324.  Use of chemical weapons — Definitions. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly:

(a)  Develop, produce or otherwise acquire, transfer directly or indirectly, receive, stockpile, retain, own, possess, use or threaten to use any chemical weapon; or

(b)  Assist or induce in any way a person to violate, or attempt or conspire to violate, subsection (1)(a) of this section.

(2)  Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to:

(a)  The retention, ownership, possession, transfer or receipt of a chemical weapon by a department, agency or other entity of the state of Idaho or the United States; or

(b)  Any person, including a member of the armed forces of the United States, who is authorized by law or by an appropriate officer of the state of Idaho or the United States to retain, possess, transfer or receive a chemical weapon; or

(c)  To an otherwise nonculpable person in an emergency situation if such person is attempting to seize or destroy the weapon.

(3)  (a) Any person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of up to and including life imprisonment or by a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or by both.

(b)  The attorney general of the state of Idaho may bring a civil action in a state district court against any person who violates this section and, upon proof of such violation by a preponderance of the evidence, such person shall be required to pay a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for each violation. The imposition of a civil penalty under this subsection does not preclude any other criminal or civil statutory, common law or administrative remedy which is otherwise available by law to the state of Idaho or any other person.

(c)  The court shall order any person convicted of an offense under this section to reimburse the state of Idaho for any expenses incurred by the state incident to the seizure, storage, handling, transportation, destruction or other disposition of any property or material seized in connection with an investigation of the commission of an offense by that person.

(d)  The state of Idaho may obtain in a civil action an injunction against any conduct prohibited in subsection (1) of this section or the preparation or solicitation to engage in such conduct.

(4)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the possession or use of any individual self-defense device, including devices which contain pepper spray or chemical mace.

(5)  As used in this section:

(a)  "Chemical weapon" means the following, together or separately:

(i)   A toxic chemical and its precursors, except where intended for a purpose not prohibited by this section provided the type and quantity of such chemical or precursors are consistent with such a purpose;

(ii)  A munition or device that is specifically designed to cause death or other harm through toxic properties of those toxic chemicals specified in paragraph (5)(a)(i) of this section and that would be released as a result of the employment of such munition or device;

(iii) Any equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with the employment of munitions or devices specified in paragraph (5)(a)(ii) of this section.

(b)  Except as otherwise provided, "person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, the state of Idaho or any political subdivision thereof, or any political entity within the state, any foreign government or nation or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision of such government or nation located in the state of Idaho.

(c)  "Precursor" means any chemical reactant that takes part at any stage in the production, by whatever method, of a toxic chemical. The term includes any key component of a binary or multicomponent chemical system.

(d)  "Purposes not prohibited by this section" means:

(i)   Any peaceful purpose related to an industrial, agricultural, research, medical or pharmaceutical activity or other activity;

(ii)  Any purpose directly related to protection against toxic chemicals or chemical weapons;

(iii) Any military purpose of the United States that is not connected with the use of a chemical weapon or that is not dependent on the use of the toxic or poisonous properties of the chemical weapon to cause death or other harm; or

(iv)  Any law enforcement purpose, including any domestic riot control purpose and the imposition of capital punishment.

(e)  "Toxic chemical" means any chemical that, through its chemical action on life processes, can cause death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to animals, including humans. The term includes all such chemicals, regardless of their form or method of production, and regardless of whether they are produced in facilities, munitions or elsewhere.

History:

[18-3324, added 2002, ch. 222, sec. 3, p. 625.]