You have to understand how this works and why it works the way it does.
The Legislature - ANY state legislature - is dominated by attorneys. Most legislators are lawyers. Lawyers like laws. Laws generate suits and trials, and attorneys make money from them. The more suits and trials, the more money they make.
Consequently, they enjoy making laws. The more laws, the more suits, the more money.
Attorneys in the legislatures are also politicians. Politicians need two things: money and votes. Consequently they are more than willing to enact laws which are being pressed on them by various social advocates or lobbyists. Some of these are justified, in most cases they are not - they merely feed the need of many people to "crusade" to "make a difference" in society.
Currently there is a big push by various animal rights groups to incrementally ban all ownership of "exotic animals". They wish to limit people to pets like dogs and cats which they prefer to term "domestic companions". These people are well-organized, vociferous, radical, and enjoy a lot of media support (politicians like positive media overage also, even if its misguided.) Laws like the kind being discussed here are a perfect example.
The best way to deal with these people - the politicians that is, is through a well-organized drive showing YOU have more votes and can provide more contributions than those people who are pushing these laws.
So, instead of contacting legislators just on an individual basis - which you should do - and preferably by written letter rather than phone calls or e-mails, a far more effective weapon is to organize, get together a petition, have it signed by yourself, the members of any local or state herp society, as many sympathizers and friends as possible, pet shop owners, etc. and then send the petition to the legislators in your state.
Then wait and see how they vote. If they vote for the bill, work for their defeat by campaigning for their primary opponent, registering with their own party and working against and voting against them in their own primary elections, and, should they then get renominated, working for their opponent in the OTHER party in the general election. You can also contribute your time and money to assist those members of the state legislature who OPPOSE this bill and be sure you let them know WHY you are helping them.
But be forwarned, this will take a lot of work in your case. There are certain states like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, California, where the legislature seems to be dominated by politicians who believe that it is the function of the state to regulate the lives of all its citizens right down to the ver last things each day. Unlike THomas Jefferson, they believe that that government which governs best, governs most.
Which brings up another reason for this kind of legislation - patronage.
When you have a lot of laws, you need more beaurocrats and enforcement personnel to enact them. This means you can provide government jobs to your friends, supporters and campaign contributors. They in turn reciprocate with more contributions.
Democracy is the best form of government, but only if THE PEOPLE make it work and keep a close eye on those rascals in office.
