Annotation

The article is devoted to the role of explanatory notes in legislative activity. In particular, to the explanatory notes to bills that introduce amendments to criminal and environmental legislation, namely Chapter 26 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "Environmental Crimes". It is noted that on February 26, 2019, draft law No. 653568-7 "On Amendments to Article 258¹ of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (on Strengthening Responsibility for Illegal Extraction and Trafficking of Particularly Valuable Wild Animals and Aquatic Biological Resources Belonging to Species Listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation)" was submitted to the State Duma of the Russian Federation. The Explanatory Note to this draft law emphasized that Article 258¹ of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is directed against the highly vulnerable species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. It is noted that the danger of the acts increases if they are committed by a group of persons acting in collusion, and the draft law amends parts 3 and 31 of Article 2581 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to add a new qualifying feature.The liability for the act under Part 3 of Article 258¹ of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation has been increased, but the category of this crime remains the same and is classified as a serious crime.