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STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Forty (40) state legislatures are now back in session and new legislation is being introduced every day. Of particular note to ZAA members are bills in New York, Virginia and Washington state. |
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Notable New Bills ARIZONA HAWAII MASSACHUSETTS MA HD 2591 https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/HD2591 Allows authorities to immediately remove an animal in an emergency situation from the animal’s present location in order to take custody of the animal if they believe that the animal is injured or in imminent danger of physical harm. MA SD 1450 https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/SD1450 Prohibits the harassment of animals.Establishes responsibilities for animals' guardians. Requires any business representing itself as an animal protective entity – whether sanctuary, rescue, boarding/training/pet-sitting, or animal society - to be subject to quarterly inspections or records review. Also prohibits animal fights and any person who captures, breeds, cages, transports or sells any animal to a person or commercial entity for the purpose of exhibition, entertainment, curiosity, or dismemberment. Defines terms such as animal torture and establishes cruelty offenses.
MONTANA NEW JERSEY NJ S 581 https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S3989 Establishes offense of reckless trespass involving a wild animal if the person enters a cage, enclosure, or other area where a wild or zoo animal is housed or otherwise contained and intentionally or unintentionally harasses the wild animal, or is attacked by the wild animal. NJ S 3989 https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S3989 Expands list of animals prohibited from use in traveling animal acts; limits certain exceptions to apply only at educational institutions.
NEW YORK |
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Existing Bills MICHIGAN NEW YORK VIRGINIA VA SB 1125 https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/SB1125 Prohibits propagation of wildlife without a permit, as well as premature separation of young wildlife and hybridization of species. AZA is identified as a resource and authority on separation practices and AZA facilities are exempt from the prohibition of hybridization. No action scheduled yet. VA HB 1768 https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB1768 Prohibits the possession, sale, transfer, or breeding of nonhuman primates. Contains exemptions for certain institutions, including federal Class C exhibitors, although that exemption has conditions attached to it: has not been, and has not employed any person who has been, convicted of or fined for an offense involving the abuse or neglect of any animal; has not had its license or permit revoked or suspended and has not received any official warning letter, or entered into any stipulations, consent decrees, or settlements with the USDA within the past three years; has not been cited by the USDA for any noncompliant item within the past three years for any violation for a failure to allow a facility inspection or interference with a facility inspection; maintains liability insurance that is equal to or greater than $250,000,or each occurrence of property damage, bodily injury, or death caused by any primate; and has a written plan, filed with the local animal control authority, for the quick and safe recapture of any primate that escapes.
None of those conditions are attached to any of the other exempt facilities. This bill was scheduled for a subcommittee hearing on January 15 but was removed from the agenda.
WASHINGTON |
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FEDERAL REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS USDA/APHIS On January 10, 2025 the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) posted its FY2024 enforcement activity summary data, which provides information about enforcement efforts in the areas of biotechnology, agricultural quarantine inspection, animal and plant health, and animal welfare and horse protection. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/mission/enforcement-summaries |
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