HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 392        FILED ON: 1/13/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1573

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Byron Rushing

_________________

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 relative to the repeal of certain archaic laws concerning animals.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Byron Rushing

9th Suffolk

1/13/2015

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden

9/24/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

9/24/2019

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

9/24/2019

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

9/24/2019

Gloria L. Fox

7th Suffolk

9/24/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 392        FILED ON: 1/13/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1573

By Mr. Rushing of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1573) of Byron Rushing and others relative to Sunday hunting, the protection of pigeons and penalties for the sexual abuse of animals.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1594 OF 2013-2014.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the repeal of certain archaic laws concerning animals.

 

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. Section 5 of chapter 131 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after the first paragraph, the following paragraph:-

Notwithstanding section 57 of this chapter, the director may declare any Sunday within the last 3 months of a calendar year as open season for the hunting of deer by bow and arrow only. The director may establish rules and regulations for such open season, subject to the approval of the fisheries and wildlife board; provided that hunting during such open season may be limited to specific areas as defined by the director and may be suspended or modified when, in the director’s opinion, such action becomes necessary. 

SECTION 2. Said section 57 of said chapter 131, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following sentence:-

This section shall also not render unlawful the possession or carrying of a bow and arrow, or to use the same, for the purpose of the hunting of deer on any Sunday that is an open season as declared by the director and as established by rule or regulation under section 5.

SECTION 3. Section 132 of Chapter 266 of the General Laws, is hereby repealed.

SECTION 4. Chapter 272 is hereby further amended by striking out Section 34, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section: -

Section 34. Whoever commits a sexual act on an animal, uses an object to sexually abuse an animal, or knowingly permits a sexual act with an animal on any premises under such person's control, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 20 years or in a house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years, and by a fine of not more than $5,000.