HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 295        FILED ON: 1/11/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 418

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Lori A. Ehrlich and Kathleen O'Connor Ives

_________________

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 use of elephants in traveling animal acts.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Lori A. Ehrlich

8th Essex

1/11/2017

Kathleen O'Connor Ives

First Essex

2/2/2017

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

2/3/2017

Bruce J. Ayers

1st Norfolk

2/2/2017

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

1/31/2017

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol

1/30/2017

Linda Dean Campbell

15th Essex

2/2/2017

James M. Cantwell

4th Plymouth

1/27/2017

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

2/1/2017

Josh S. Cutler

6th Plymouth

1/24/2017

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

2/2/2017

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

2/2/2017

James J. Dwyer

30th Middlesex

1/31/2017

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

2/2/2017

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

1/26/2017

William C. Galvin

6th Norfolk

1/27/2017

Denise C. Garlick

13th Norfolk

2/2/2017

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/31/2017

Danielle W. Gregoire

4th Middlesex

2/2/2017

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

1/27/2017

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

2/1/2017

Natalie Higgins

4th Worcester

1/31/2017

Bradford R. Hill

4th Essex

1/31/2017

Kevin G. Honan

17th Suffolk

2/3/2017

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/27/2017

Peter V. Kocot

1st Hampshire

2/3/2017

John J. Lawn, Jr.

10th Middlesex

1/30/2017

Jack Lewis

7th Middlesex

1/20/2017

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

2/3/2017

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

1/30/2017

Jay D. Livingstone

8th Suffolk

2/2/2017

Joan B.  Lovely

Second Essex

2/2/2017

Adrian Madaro

1st Suffolk

2/2/2017

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

2/3/2017

Leonard Mirra

2nd Essex

1/24/2017

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/2/2017

James M. Murphy

4th Norfolk

2/3/2017

Harold P. Naughton, Jr.

12th Worcester

2/2/2017

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

2/2/2017

Alice Hanlon Peisch

14th Norfolk

2/3/2017

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/24/2017

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

1/26/2017

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

1/24/2017

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

2/3/2017

Daniel J. Ryan

2nd Suffolk

1/27/2017

Jeffrey Sánchez

15th Suffolk

2/3/2017

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

1/26/2017

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

1/30/2017

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

2/3/2017

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

2/2/2017

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

2/1/2017

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex

1/31/2017


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 295        FILED ON: 1/11/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 418

By Representative Ehrlich of Marblehead and Senator O'Connor Ives, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 418) of Lori A. Ehrlich and others relative to the use of elephants in traveling animal acts.  Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the use of elephants in traveling animal acts.

 

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. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 131A the following chapter:-

CHAPTER 131B. USE OF ELEPHANTS IN TRAVELING ANIMAL ACTS PROHIBITED.

Section 1. Definitions.

The following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

“Mobile or traveling housing facility,” a transporting vehicle such as a truck, trailer or railway car, used to transport or house animals while traveling for exhibition or other performance.

“Performance,” any exhibition, public showing, presentation, display, exposition, fair, animal act, circus, ride, trade show, petting zoo, carnival, parade, race, or similar undertaking in which animals are required to perform tricks, give rides, or participate as accompaniments for the entertainment, amusement, or benefit of a live audience.

“Person,” an individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, estate, trust, receiver, syndicate, association, or other legal entity.

“Traveling animal act,” any performance of animals where such animals are transported to, from, or between locations for the purpose of such performance, in a mobile or traveling housing facility.

Section 2. Prohibition.

To the extent that such activity is not prohibited by chapter 272, section 77B of the General Laws, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall allow for the participation of an elephant in a traveling animal act.

Section 3. Civil Penalty.

Any person who violates this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) and not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), per animal involved in the violation.

Section 4. Enforcement.

(a) Any officer or agent authorized by the department, or law enforcement officer of the state or of any unit of local government within the state may enforce the provisions of this chapter.

(b) The director of the division of fish and wildlife, department of fisheries, wildlife and environmental law enforcement may adopt rules relating to the implementation of this chapter.

SECTION 2. The provisions of this Act are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other laws protecting animal welfare. This section may not be construed to limit any state law or rules protecting the welfare of animals or to prevent a local governing body from adopting and enforcing its own animal welfare laws and regulations.

SECTION 3. If any part, section or subdivision of this chapter, or the application thereof, shall be held invalid, unconstitutional or inoperative as to any particular person, persons or conditions, the remainder hereof, or the application of any such part, section or subdivision to other persons and conditions, shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2018.