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This bill is not dead (for now)

This bill passed the house

This bill passed commity on Friday the 18th (even thou is was said it did not)

But it did not make it to the senate floor by the dead line yesterday and it was not amended to any other bill.

This information came from Senator Seligers aid, Micheal Kissock.

The people of Texas owe Mr. David Barker and Jeff B. a very big THANK YOU.iT WAS THIER TESTIMONY THAT STOPPED THE BILL.

I was told that 2 others gave testimony that hurt the cause more then hepped.

This bill will rear its ugly head again, so please clean up on the points of concern.

Funny, I didn't see Jeff B coalating letters with me until 4am the morning before the first Capital meeting. And 1am the morning before the second meeting. A lot of people worked on fighting this without putting on the brakes like some people did.

For now, its over. It did open our eyes to what might and could happen in the future. We are taking steps to prevent this from happening again.

As long as I have lived in Texas (22 years), I have preached that we need to govern our own so as not to loose our rights to keep the herps we want to keep RESPONCIBLY!

In my opinion if it wasn't for Ralph Aldis and Justyn Miller suggesting amendments at the last public hearing this may have passed instead of stalling due to time.
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Tim Cole
www.Designeratrox.com/
www.AustinReptileService.net
www.AustinReptileExpo.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
Conservation through Education

EXCELLENT POST TIM!

Randal Berry

Tim as I said it was thier Testimony, I am sure that there was hundreds of people that send letters, made phone call ect..... It is true that shows unity.

But there were some people that called the senators offices that hurt the cause. But I was told that for now it is dead (at least stalled) for now but it will make a come back if keepers continue down the same path.

1 cage size
2 reported bites by keepers
3 escaped animals
4 animals of concern Large pythons, Hots and monitors
5 shows that snakes available to minors
6 sales of stolen animals at shows
7 Record keeping of sales
8 number of unpermitted keepers
9 condition of animals at shows
10 How animals are kept at shows.

Cudos Tim, considering the clout and backing Jeff has I expected more. But all in all everyone in the cummunity owe a debt to everyone who showed up to fight this no matter what small part they played.
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Dan S.
Crotalus & Company
Venom-Center Your Complete Venomous Community
Wisconsin Reptile Community

Celebration is fine, but based on what I saw at that committee meeting, I don't think we've seen the last of this legislation by a long shot....

Brad Chambers

Brad,

I think you are 100% correct. I expect that we will see both HB 1309 and also HB 2414 back next session. We as a community would be wise to spend the next 18 months cultivating some positive relationships in both the legislature and at TP&W.
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Gerald Keown
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research
www.southwesternherp.com

You both are correct. The Texas herp community needs to band together and work together as a team. This bill passed the commenty on Friday the 18th but some people made the statement that it died, This is the sort of thing that comes back to bite you in the butt. Micheal Kissock is a senate aid and a very good man, if you call him he will tell you the points that need to be addressed, you can reach him at Senator Seligers office.

The points that were told to me were

Bad husbandry
condition of animals at shows
handling method of venomous animals at shows
complaints from people about animal deals
loose animals
illegal collecting of animals

If these matters are addressed and corrected they will allow you to police it up your selves.

Stop buying from questionbable people
Do not atten shows on low morales
Do not support bad keepers.
Do not deal or help herps/wholesellers that have had complaints.

The lawmakers do knowof these people and a list of complaints files or made against people in your state.