HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 576        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2934

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Lori A. Ehrlich and Bradley H. Jones, 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 relative to the use of elephants, big cats, primates, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Lori A. Ehrlich

8th Essex

1/11/2019

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/11/2019

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

1/15/2019

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

1/11/2019

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

1/31/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

2/1/2019

Bruce J. Ayers

1st Norfolk

2/1/2019

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

1/31/2019

David Biele

4th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Paul Brodeur

32nd Middlesex

2/1/2019

Daniel Cahill

10th Essex

1/31/2019

Linda Dean Campbell

15th Essex

2/1/2019

Michelle L. Ciccolo

15th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Edward F. Coppinger

10th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex

1/30/2019

William L. Crocker, Jr.

2nd Barnstable

1/28/2019

Daniel R. Cullinane

12th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Josh S. Cutler

6th Plymouth

1/30/2019

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

2/1/2019

Angelo L. D'Emilia

8th Plymouth

1/30/2019

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

1/30/2019

Paul J. Donato

35th Middlesex

1/30/2019

Shawn Dooley

9th Norfolk

1/28/2019

William J. Driscoll, Jr.

7th Norfolk

2/1/2019

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

1/30/2019

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

1/23/2019

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/1/2019

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Dylan A. Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

1/31/2019

Ann-Margaret Ferrante

5th Essex

1/24/2019

William C. Galvin

6th Norfolk

1/31/2019

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/31/2019

Denise C. Garlick

13th Norfolk

1/31/2019

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Carlos González

10th Hampden

1/31/2019

Danielle W. Gregoire

4th Middlesex

1/28/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

2/1/2019

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

1/29/2019

Bradford Hill

4th Essex

1/28/2019

Kevin G. Honan

17th Suffolk

1/30/2019

Daniel J. Hunt

13th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Randy Hunt

5th Barnstable

1/22/2019

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

1/31/2019

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

1/30/2019

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/30/2019

John J. Lawn, Jr.

10th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/28/2019

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

1/24/2019

Jay D. Livingstone

8th Suffolk

1/29/2019

Adrian C. Madaro

1st Suffolk

1/29/2019

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

1/25/2019

Joseph D. McKenna

18th Worcester

1/31/2019

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

2/1/2019

Christina A. Minicucci

14th Essex

1/28/2019

Lenny Mirra

2nd Essex

1/23/2019

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

1/30/2019

James M. Murphy

4th Norfolk

2/1/2019

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

1/29/2019

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

1/30/2019

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

2/1/2019

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

1/29/2019

Alice Hanlon Peisch

14th Norfolk

1/31/2019

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

1/31/2019

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

2/1/2019

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

1/29/2019

Maria Duaime Robinson

6th Middlesex

1/30/2019

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

1/29/2019

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

1/31/2019

Daniel J. Ryan

2nd Suffolk

1/28/2019

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Walter F. Timilty

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

2/1/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/28/2019

Paul F. Tucker

7th Essex

2/1/2019

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

1/29/2019

John C. Velis

4th Hampden

1/31/2019

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

1/29/2019

Thomas P. Walsh

12th Essex

1/30/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 576        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2934

By Representatives Ehrlich of Marblehead and Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2934) of Lori A. Ehrlich, Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to the use of elephants, big cats, primates, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows.  Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the use of elephants, big cats, primates, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows.

 

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 COVERED ANIMALS IN TRAVELING ANIMAL ACTS PROHIBITED.

Section 1. Definitions.

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

“Covered animal,” any of the following animals, and hybrids thereof:

(a) Elephantidae;

(b) Felidae, lions (Panthera leo), tigers (Panthera tigris), leopards (Panthera pardus), clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa and Neofelis diardi), snow leopards (Panthera uncia), jaguars (Panthera onca), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), mountain lions (Puma concolor), including any hybrids thereof;

(c) Non-human primate; and

(d) Ursidae.

“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.

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

(b) This chapter shall not apply to a performance that takes place at a non-mobile, permanent institution or other fixed facility, provided that the covered animal is not transported to such location for the purpose of such performance.

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, 2020.