The following are now illegal in Iowa, FYI.

8) A member of the order crocodilia, including but not
2 33 limited to alligators, caimans, crocodiles, and gharials.
2 34 (9) A member of the family varanidae of the order
2 35 squamata, which are limited to water monitors and crocodile
3 1 monitors.
3 2 (10) A member of the order squamata which is any of the
3 3 following:
3 4 (a) A member of the family varanidae, which are limited to
3 5 water monitors and crocodile monitors.
3 6 (b) A member of the family atractaspidae, including but
3 7 not limited to mole vipers and burrowing asps.
3 8 (c) A member of the family helodermatidae, including but
3 9 not limited to beaded lizards and gila monsters.
3 10 (d) A member of the family elapidae, voperidae,
3 11 crotalidae, atractaspidae, or hydrophidae which are venomous,
3 12 including but not limited to cobras, mambas, coral snakes,
3 13 kraits, adders, vipers, rattlesnakes, copperheads, pit vipers,
3 14 keelbacks, cottonmouths, and sea snakes.
3 15 (e) A member of the superfamily henophidia, which are
3 16 limited to reticulated pythons, anacondas, and African rock
3 17 pythons.

http://gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070526/NEWS/70526004

Published May 26. 2007 1:36PM
New law bans exotic pets in Iowa
Other bills eliminate water requirement for casinos, set aside new road funds
By Rod Boshart

The Gazette
rod.boshart@...

DES MOINES - Iowa has a new species facing extinction – the exotic pet owner.

Gov. Chet Culver has signed legislation making it illegal for a person to
privately own or possess a dangerous wild animal, and to breed or transport such
beasts into Iowa.

The number of affected animals by Senate File 564 include wolves, coyotes,
primates other than humans, lions, tigers, bears, leopards, cheetahs, venomous
snakes, pandas, rhinoceroses, elephants and other wild species.

The bill provides for the phase-out of private ownership and establishes a civil
penalty for violating the statute.

The measure does would not apply to animals currently owned by Iowans. But those
owners would be required to register the dangerous wild animal with the state
and to attach or install an electronic identification device to the animal or
beneath its skin or hide.

Proponents said the action was needed due to humane and safety concerns for
dangerous animals being turned loose or abandoned by private owners who no
longer can care for the animals but have no place to go with them.

The problem has proliferated, bill sponsors said, because of Internet sales
offering cuddly cubs that grow into an unmanageable situation for many owners
who then turn to zoos, animal shelters or sanctuaries for help. However, many of
those facilities are filling up or do not want to take responsibility for
unwanted animals, officials say.

The legislation exempts circuses, accredited zoos, fairs, animal sanctuaries,
pounds or shelters, animals certified by the U.S. Agriculture Department, or
someone transporting a dangerous animal through Iowa.

In other action, Culver signed legislation to end a requirement that land-based
casinos maintain a link to water and abide by maritime rules that were
throwbacks to the gambling industry's start as a riverboat cruising activity.

Senate 263 establishes a new category of man-made stationary "gambling
structures" to go along with the state's excursion gambling boats, moored barges
and race track enclosures offering table games and slot machines.

The governor also signed a separate bill to establish the framework for a
special fund to address the state's critical road-building needs.

The "TIME-21" fund creates a new distribution formula that would provide 60
percent of the new revenue to the state and equally split the remaining share
between cities and counties. A bipartisan panel is to meet during the interim to
recommend ways to raise the needed new revenue.