Ohio State Senator Troy Balderson has introduced legislation, Senate Bill 310, banning certain “dangerous wild animals” andsetting possession standards for a list of “restricted snakes” that is so prohibitive as to be a de-facto ban. The bill would establish exorbitant permit fees, require unreasonable amountsof liability insurance and grant arbitrary rule making authority to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Ohio Representative Hill will soon introduce a companion bill in the Ohio House ofRepresentatives. It promises to be a duplicate of SB 310 and is a signal that the General Assembly wants to put this issue on a fast track to become law.

There is a Sponsors Hearing today in the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committeewhere Senator Balderson will give the first reading of SB 310. There will be no public comment today. The bill had been scheduled for a public Hearing next Tuesday, but that Hearing has been cancelledand will be rescheduled. Stay tuned for USARK update.

USARK will oppose SB 310. It is arbitrary, prohibitive and completely unnecessary.Reptiles have NEVER posed a public safety risk in Ohio or anywhere else.

USARK has already been at work in Ohio opposing SB 310. We have been engaged with the bill Sponsorand Committee Members for months in anticipation of this legislative proposal. USARK CEO, Andrew Wyatt, will be in attendance at the public Hearing to give testimony. We will facilitate a massivegrass roots “USARK Boots on the Ground” campaign by the Reptile Nation on Hearing day. We want to thank Cin City Reptile Show, Chris DeLange and Mark Pollard for their help in collectingalmost 1,100 hand written letters that USARK delivered to the Committee on Monday. If you are interested in participating in "USARK Boots on the Ground" please send an email to ohioarlupdate@gmail.com.

Please get involved today!

Email Campaign:

Click here to voice your opposition to SB 310: usark.org/campaign.php?id=37

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