(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, upon written request by the tag holder, the department may reinstate the preference points and refund the tag fees used to acquire any of the tags described in subsection (c). A refund for tag fees shall be subject to the nonrefundable processing fee specified in Section 702. This section shall only apply to tags issued pursuant to the big game license tag drawing system established in section 708.14.

(b) A holder of an unfilled tag described in subsection (c) may apply for reinstatement of the preference points and refund of the tag fees used to acquire the tag, and earn one preference point for the license year, by returning their unfilled tag along with a written request stating that they did not harvest due to the statewide closure of all National Forests and other affected lands due to unprecedented wildfire in September 2020. The written request and the unused tag must be submitted on or before May 1, 2021, to the department's License and Revenue Branch, P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090. Applications postmarked after May 1, 2021, shall be denied.

(c) Big Game Species

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until June 30, 2021.