HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2671        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2001

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Anne M. Gobi and George N. Peterson, Jr.

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act valuing our natural resources.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Anne M. Gobi

5th Worcester

1/21/2011

George N. Peterson, Jr.

9th Worcester

1/26/2011

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

2/4/2011

John W. Scibak

2nd Hampshire

2/4/2011

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

2/4/2011

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

2/3/2011

Denise Andrews

2nd Franklin

2/2/2011

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

2/2/2011

Richard J. Ross

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

2/2/2011

David M. Torrisi

14th Essex

1/24/2011

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

2/1/2011

Stephen M. Brewer

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

2/2/2011

Stephen Kulik

1st Franklin

2/3/2011

Gailanne M. Cariddi

1st Berkshire

2/4/2011

Matthew A. Beaton

11th Worcester

2/4/2011


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2671        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2001

By Representatives Ms. Gobi of Spencer and Mr. Peterson, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2001) of McMurtry and others relative to trapping for the purpose of capturing furbearing mammals Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act valuing our natural resources.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 1. Chapter 131 of the Massachusetts General Laws is hereby amended by striking the first and second paragraphs of Section 80A in their entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:

Section 80A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a person shall not use, set, place or maintain any trap for the purpose of capturing furbearing mammals, except for common type mouse and rat traps, nets, and box or cage type traps, as otherwise permitted by law. A box or cage type trap is one that confines the whole animal without grasping any part of the animal, including Hancock or Bailey’s type live trap for beavers. Other than nets and common type mouse or rat traps, traps designed to capture and hold a furbearing mammal by gripping the mammal’s body, or body part are prohibited, including steel jaw leghold traps, padded leghold traps, and snares.

The above provision shall not apply to the use of prohibited devices by federal and state departments of health, wildlife management agencies or divisions or municipal boards of health for the purpose of protection from threats to human health and safety or for the management of furbearing wildlife during their established regulated seasons.  The uses of prohibited devices are subject to the regulations and restrictions promulgated by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. A threat to human health and safety may include, but shall not be limited to: