2015 Legislation
Dec 24, 2014 Updated December 23, 2015
The following legislation has been carried over from 2014 or has been prefiled or introduced for 2015:
FEDERAL: Big Cat Public Safety Act (HR 3546) Bans ownership of big cat species.
Status: Referred to Natural Resources 9/17/2015. Referred to Federal Lands Subcommittee 10/6/2015. Carried into 2016.
FEDERAL: Captive Primate Safety Act (HR 2920) Bans commerce of primates and direct public contact with all prohibited wildlife species
Status: Referred to Natural Resources 6/25/2015. Referred to Federal Lands Subcommittee 7/14/2015. Carried into 2016.
FEDERAL: Agency Rule – Petition to amend Animal Welfare Act regulations to prohibit public contact with big cats, bears and nonhuman primates (APHIS 2012-0107-0002).
Status: Comments due November 18, 2013.
ALABAMA: …Regulation of public exhibition of wildlife, additional fee authorized, exemptions revised (SB 39)
Status: DEAD
COLORADO: Issue Paper – Chapter 11 – Wildlife Parks and Unregulated Wildlife. Allows wildlife sanctuaries to take in nonreleasable animals from wild of another state.
Status: Adopted on 3/4/2015.
GEORGIA: Sales and use tax; materials to be used in certain construction projects of zoological institutions; extend exemption (HB 428)
Status: Signed into law 5/5/2015.
HAWAII: Penal code; Display or Performance of wild or exotic animals (HB 1012/SB 141). Prohibits displays unless in the state at least 300 days.
Status: HB 1012: Carred into 2016.
Status SB 141: Carried into 2016.
ILLINOIS: CRIM CD – Dangerous Animals (SB 1824). Prohibits USDA Class C from acquiring new larger cats.
Status: Passed Senate 4/16/2015. Carried into 2016.
ILLINOIS: Animal Control – Database (SB 1362). Creates first responder database for owners of dangerous wild animals.
Status: Carried into 2016.
INDIANA: Agency Rule – Permit/Commercial License Rule. Affects wildlife rehabilitation and first permit to possess wild animal sections
Status: Adopted.
INDIANA: Wild animal Permits (S 226) – removes commercial animal dealer exemption and allows single permit per facility.
Status: FAILED IN COMMITTEE 1/26/15.
IOWA: Providing for an Iowa individual income tax checkoff for qualified Iowa zoos (HF 37). AZA zoos not research institutions
Status: Carried into 2016.
KANSAS: Allowing contact with certain regulated animals. (SB 97). Allows public contact with large cats and removes clouded leopards and cheetah from list.
Status: Carried into 2016.
KANSAS: Amending statutes concerning regulated animals (HB 2293/SB 132). Adds primates and wolves and amends the grandfather requirements and exemptions.
Status: Carried into 2016.
Louisiana: Agency Rule – Possession of Potentially Dangerous Wild Quadrupeds, Big Exotic Cats, and Non-human Primates. Revises big cat inspections and adds definition for zoos.
Status: Adopted January 2015.
MAINE: An act to restructure the permitting process for wildlife and exotic species in captivity (SP 501).
Status: Veto overridden 7/16/15.
MICHIGAN: Animals; Other; facilities accredited by American zoo and aquarium association or the zoological association of America; exempt from certain provisions of large carnivore act (SB 146). Adds ZAA exemption but limits Class C to AZA, ZAA or certain sanctuaries.
Status: Carried into 2016.
MISSOURI: Exempts mini circuses from the licensing requirements of the Large Carnivore Act (HB 1264). Creates a USDA Class C exemption for those temporarily in the state.
Status: DEAD
NEBRASKA: Exempt Sales and purchases by zoos and aquariums from sales and use tax (LB 419). AZA
Status: Signed into law 5/27/2015
NEVADA: Enact provisions relating to captive wild animals (AB 361)
Status: DEAD
NEW JERSEY: Imposes certain registration and reporting requirements to prevent illegal trade of tigers (A 4092/S 678).
Status A 4092: Referred to Agriculture and Natural Resources 1/13/2015.
Status S 678: Referred to Economic Growth Committee 1/14/2014. Carried over into 2015.
NEW JERSEY: Requires liability insurance for permit to possess certain dangerous animals (S 381) $250,000
Status: Referred to Commerce 1/14/2014. Carried over into 2015.
NEW JERSEY: “Licensed wildlife rehabilitator Act;” establishes licensure requirements for rehabilitators (A 3398/S 1576)
Status A 3398: Referred to Agriculture and Natural Resources 6/12/2014. Hearing 9/11 – CANCELLED. Carried into 2015
Status S 1576: Referred to Commerce 2/27/2014. Carried into 2015
NEW JERSEY: “Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator Act;” establishes wildlife rehabilitation board and continuing education requirements and permit program for rehabilitators (S 1577)
Status: Referred to Commerce 2/27/2014. Carried into 2015.
NEW MEXICO: Interference with zoo animals & cruelty (HB 300). Makes it a crime for unauthorized entry into enclosure or contact with animals.
Status: DEAD
NEW YORK: Relates to prohibitions on circus performances (A 637/S 1246).
Status A 637: Carried into 2016.
Status S 1246: Carried into 2016.
NEW YORK: Prohibits sport killing of zoo, carnival or circus animals (A 4239).
Status: Referred to Environmental Conservation 1/29/2015. Carried into 2016.
NEW YORK: Prohibits the sport killing of zoo, carnival or circus animals (A 4378)
Status: Referred to Environmental Conservation 1/30/2015. Carried into 2016.
NEW YORK: Restricts the use of exotic and wild animals in traveling circuses and shows (A 1405/S 4635).
Status A 1405: Referred to Agriculture 1/12/2015. Carried into 2016.
Status S 4635: Referred to Agriculture 4/1/2015. Carried into 2016.
NEW YORK: Prohibits the ownership, possession or harboring of a wild animal or reptile; makes violation a Class E felony (A 4786).
Status: Referred to Agriculture 2/6/2015. Carried into 2016.
NEW YORK: Relates to tax on circus admission; creates the animal cruelty compensation fund (A 1804).
Status: Carried into 2016.
NORTH CAROLINA: Protect public from dangerous wild animals (H 554). Bans dangerous wild animals = bears, primate, felines, hyenas
Status: Passed House 4/30/2015. Carried into 2016.
OKLAHOMA: Wildlife; Modifying provisions relating to keeping or exhibiting native cats or bears. Effective date. Emergency (SB 776). Bans Dangerous wild animals = bears, primates, larger cats
Status: Carried into 2016.
PENNSYLVANIA: … in special license and permits, further providing for definitions, for exotic wildlife possession permits (HB 349).
Status: Referred to Game and Fisheries 2/9/2015.
PENNSYLVANIA: … Special licenses and permits, further providing for definitions, for exotic wildlife possession permits and for menagerie permits (SB 263). Ban on new wildlife possession permits.
Status: Referred to Game and Fisheries 1/16/2015.
PENNSYLVANIA: … Providing for the offense of use of live animals in traveling exhibitions (SB 968)
Status: Referred to Judiciary 4/23/2015.
TENNESSEE: Game and Fish Laws – As introduced, requires cages at facilities for holding Class I wildlife be constructed and maintained to provide sufficient space for each animal to have adequate freedom of movement (HB 1363/SB 1273)
Status HB 1363: Substituted with SB 1273.
Status SB 1273: Signed into law 4/28/2015.
TEXAS: Relating to the registration and regulation of dangerous wild animals (HB 3952)
Status: DEAD
TEXAS: Relating to the regulation of dangerous wild animals (HB 3243/SB 987). Creates a ZAA exemption.
Status: DEAD
TEXAS: Relating to the cost of goods sold for purposes of the franchise tax for certain zoos and aquariums (HB 2139/SB 1118). For AZA zoos.
Status: DEAD
TEXAS: Relating to establishment and function of the Animal Welfare Commission (HB 3963/SB 908). Group charged with reviewing exotic animal ownership, circus animal welfare and other issues and giving recommended changes.
Status: DEAD
WEST VIRGINIA: Authorizing Agriculture Commissioner promulgate legislative rule relating to dangerous wild animals (SB 222). Bill to adopt the DWA rule and list.
Status: Bundled into SB 199 – Signed into law 4/2/2015.
WEST VIRGINIA: Commissioner of Agriculture; Dangerous wild animals (HB 2361). HB to adopt the DWA rule and list
Status: Bundled into SB 199 – signed into law 4/2/2015.
WEST VIRGINIA: Agency Rule – Dangerous Wild Animals Rule (61-30).
Status: Approved – Effective 6/1/2015
WEST VIRGINIA: Repealing Dangerous Wild Animals Act (SB 247).
Status:
WISCONSIN: Relating to: the possession of certain wild animals and providing a penalty (AB 333/SB 241). Ban on dangerous wild animals.
Status AB 333: Referred to Consumer Protection 9/10/2015. Public hearing 1/5/2016.
Status SB 241: Referred to Judiciary and Public Safety 8/26/2015. Public hearing 10/1. Carried into 2016.