Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Reptile owners and businesses statewide showed up to oppose HB 1309 in Austin, Texas on Tuesday March 27 during the meeting of the House Culture, Recreation, and Tourism Committee.

HB1309, a bill seeking to regulate the sales, transport, and possession in Texas of all constricting and venomous snakes not native to the United States, drew opponents from as far away as Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.Many opponents pointed to data provided by the CDC, Texas Department of Health and scientific literature, showing there was little data to support the assertion of either safety or alien species introduction as issues needing to be addressed at this time,and that the proposed system would be a financial and logistical burden on an already financially strapped Texas Parks and Wildlife Agency.

While many reptile enthusiasts, owners and businesses spoke as witnesses in opposition of the bill, no one spoke as a witness in favor of the bill. The next step for HB1309 is a closed door meeting before the Committee before either being moved forward to the house or left to languish.

To view videos of the Committee meeting and public comments on March 27, 2007 please go to http://www.youtube.com/clubkingsnake
HD video clips are available upon request.

Texas wishing to comment on proposed HB1309 for now may contact the Committee by mail at:

Culture, Recreation, and Tourism Committee
P.O. Box 2910
E.1234
Austin, Texas, 78768

Or you may contact the individual members of the committee through their web sites

Chair: Rep. Harvey Hilderbran
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist53/hilderbran.htm
Vice Chair: Rep. Edmund Kuempel
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist44/kuempel.htm
Budget & Oversight Chair: Rep. Dawnna Dukes
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist46/dukes.htm
Members: Rep. Mark Homer
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist3/homer.htm
Rep. Donna Howard
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist48/howard.htm
Rep. Mike O'Day
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist29/oday.htm
Rep. Larry Phillips
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist62/phillips.htm

Thank you..
Tim..

thanks for the update. Funny to me how no one was there trying to support the bill. A number of years ago my little town revamped their animal laws. I had people approach me in public saying how they were going to go to the city hall meetings on this subject to make it so I couldn't keep my snakes in town. Well, I attended every meeting and spoke up about my keeping snakes. I was the ONLY person who showed up out of the public that had anything to add. And they had heard that I had snakes, and only heard good things, such as the school presentations I do. And they changed an old law stating wildlife and exotic pets were not allowed. The actually put a law stating reptiles were permitted as pets to the effect of if they are properly caged in a cage that is easily cleaned. There was one councilman that wanted to make it state no venemous snakes permitted, but the rest of them disagreed and that never got added. Which I found interesting, as I didn't say anything about venemous as I don't keep them. So I hope these people were impressed somewhat by your being there and realizing what it is they are really doing.

For me, the state did step in later on, not too long ago with a law banning the keeping of venemous snakes. Only after someone who shouldn't own a pet rock got in some venemous snakes from a dealer via UPS, and was showing them off around town in Bismark!

Wow, that's an impressive story! It's awesome that you played such a huge part in the making of the local herp laws. If you don't mind saying, what state was it that that happened in?
Sure stinks that the state gov came in and made it illegal to own hots.....Why can't they just make it illegal to take hots in the public like the guy you mentioned did? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr........
-----
------------------------------------------------
In memory of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. 1962-2006
Loving family man.
Champion of animal rights.
Dedicated to Conservation.
We'll miss you mate! You will not be forgotten.
We'll take it from here.

Meant to say that the last post was in reply to the post by nodaksnakelover.....tried to edit my original post, but I couldn't figure out how. Is it possible to edit posts you have made?
Thanks
Austin
-----
------------------------------------------------
In memory of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. 1962-2006
Loving family man.
Champion of animal rights.
Dedicated to Conservation.
We'll miss you mate! You will not be forgotten.
We'll take it from here.

I'm in North Dakota. For the longest time there was no state law on herps. Only took one guy to screw it up for anyone to keep hots. It happened in Bismark, the capitol. How could the state legislature not notice?

but you can imagine all the people who kept asking me if I kept any poisonous (sic) snakes. My smart alec reply is always, oh no, they are all quite edible...

I live in Virginia. What outlet/website/publications do you monitor for similar provisions/laws being discussed?

How come they are not trying to ban cats? I would assume wild cats are very detrimental to the environment and being mammals, they can surive the cold where as most of our most popular snakes/lizards wouldn't make it through the winter from N.C. up.

frustrated

I attended the hearing and some of the people who spoke brought up other kinds of pets, and the problems they cause, which doesn't help our case any. Animal rights groups such as PETA, are trying to ban ALL pets, including, cats, dogs, snakes, goldfish, horses, you name it. All pet owners need to stick together, instead of pointing fingers. Cat and dog owners don't need to fight for their rights like we constantly have to. We as reptile owners don't need anymore opposition than we already have. Divided we fall, United we stand.