Reptile & Amphibian Forums

HB 339 and SB 296 will affect caimen keepers, and anyone with venomous lizards, as well as anyone with a hybrid cat (such as a Savannah) or a dog that is a wolf hybrid or LOOKS like a wolf hybrid, as it is impossible to tell the difference!

I've heard that HB 339 will be voted upon this week in the House of Delegates. People need to call and e-mail their delegates NOW. Please be polite and as professional as
possible when calling delegates and senators. Go here to find and contact your delegate(s) or senator: http://mdelect.net/

You can read the bill here: http://mlis.state.md.us/2005rs/billfile/HB0339.htm

Also, for those that are not used to reading bills, in Maryland, anything in brackets [ ] is removed from an old law, and anything capitalized is added to the old law.

There will be a hearing on SB 296, which has the same wording as HB 339, on March 15th at 1:00 PM in Annapolis. A group is gearing up to testify at this hearing. Please attend if you can, as the more people, the better, even if you only attend to raise your hand in opposition of the bill.

FYI, the bill takes out part of the wording of the old law that allows someone to keep an animal if they have state or federal permits, and now requires someone to have a USDA permit under the Animal Welfare Act or to have AZA accreditation. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A USDA PERMIT FOR REPTILES, as the USDA
does not consern itself with reptiles for the most part, and smaller facilities that specilize in only reptiles and do education - and might be quite good - might not want to go through the process of the AZA. It seems like a small thing, but some facilities use crocodilians (including caimens) and venomous animals in educaitonal settings.

Katrina

FYI, venomous snakes, alligators, crocodiles are already illegal in Maryland under the current law, but venomous lizards and caimans ARE CURRENTLY LEGAL. These new bills would make venomous lizards and caimans illegal.

Please find below a synopsis of the bill (the full bill can be seen at: http://mlis.state.md.us/2005rs/bills/sb/sb0296f.pdf) and the contacts for the sponsors of the bill, as well as the names of senators that make up the Judiciary Committee. The best way to stop a bill is to stop it from leaving a committee. Because this bill is still in committee, it would be best to contact the sponsors of the bill, and the members of the Judiciary Committee. At this time, is best if only Maryland residents contact these members, UNLESS you have some personal experience with a bill or law such as this, such as a law that was enacted in your state that impacted you personally or you have a business that will be impacted directly or indirectly by this bill, or if you, say, have a caiman, Savannah cat, Gila monster, or beaded lizard, and were considering moving to Maryland in the future.

If you would like to contact the committee members, you can click on their names listed at:
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/mdmanual/05sen/html/com/05judp.html

IF the bill leaves committee, then it would be best to contact your Senator from your district, but for now, try to contact the committee member (to vote “no” on the bill) and/or the sponsors (to pull the bill).

If you can get a letter in the mail before March 7th (to make sure it has plenty of time to reach a senator), a letter would be best. Otherwise, a phone call or e-mail will have to do. PLEASE BE AS CURTIOUS AND PROFESSIONAL AS POSSIBLE in all correspondence. Use spell check, proper punctuation, ect.

SENATE BILL 296

File Code: Criminal Law - Substantive Crimes
Crossfiled with: HOUSE BILL 339

Sponsored By: Senators Stone, Britt, Garagiola, Giannetti, Grosfeld, and Pinsky

Entitled: Criminal Law - Prohibition Against Wild Animals as Pets
Synopsis:

Clarifying and altering the application of a prohibition against the ownership of specified wild animals for specified purposes; prohibiting a person from possessing and breeding specified wild animals; providing that the Act does not limit a county or municipal authority from enacting specified laws or adopting specified regulations; and clarifying the requirement for specified county, municipal, and local authorities to adhere to local restraint requirements if stricter than federal restraint requirements.

History by Legislative Date
Senate Action
1/28 First Reading Judicial Proceedings
2/16 Hearing 3/15 at 1:00 p.m.
House Action
No Action

Sponsored by:
Senator Norman R. Stone, Jr., District 6
Senator Gwendolyn Britt, District 47
Senator Rob Garagiola, District 15
Senator John A. Giannetti, Jr., District 21
Senator Sharon M. Grosfeld, District 18
Senator Paul G. Pinsky, District 22

NORMAN R. STONE, JR. Democrat, District 6, Baltimore County
James Senate Office Building, Room 216, 110 College Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 - 1991
(410) 841-3587, (301) 858-3587
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3587 (toll free)
e-mail: norman_stone@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3218, (301) 858-3218

GWENDOLYN T. BRITT Democrat, District 47, Prince George's County
James Senate Office Building, Room 222, 110 College Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 - 1991
(410) 841-3745, (301) 858-3745
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3745 (toll free)
e-mail: gwendolyn_britt@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3387, (301) 858-3387

ROBERT J. GARAGIOLA Democrat, District 15, Montgomery County
James Senate Office Building, Room 104, 110 College Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 - 1991
(410) 841-3169, (301) 858-3169
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3169 (toll free)
e-mail: rob_garagiola@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3607, (301) 858-3607

JOHN A. GIANNETTI, JR. Democrat, District 21
Anne Arundel & Prince George's Counties
James Senate Office Building, Room 122, 110 College Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 - 1991
(410) 841-3141, (301) 858-3141
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3141 (toll free)
e-mail: john_giannetti@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3195, (301) 858-3195

SHARON M. GROSFELD Democrat, District 18, Montgomery County
James Senate Office Building, Room 203, 110 College Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 - 1991
(410) 841-3137, (301) 858-3137
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3137 (toll free)
e-mail: sharon_grosfeld@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3676, (301) 858-3676

PAUL G. PINSKY Democrat, District 22, Prince George's County
James Senate Office Building, Room 220, 110 College Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 - 1991
(410) 841-3155, (301) 858-3155
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3155 (toll free)
e-mail: paul_pinsky@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3144, (301) 858-3144

JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS COMMITTEE
Appointed by Senate President:
Brian E. Frosh, Chair (410) 841-3124, (301) 858-3124
Leo E. Green, Vice-Chair (410) 841-3631, (301) 858-3631

Jennie M. Forehand
Robert J. Garagiola
John A. Giannetti, Jr.
Larry E. Haines
Ralph M. Hughes
Nancy Jacobs
Philip C. Jimeno
Alex X. Mooney
Norman R. Stone, Jr.

Miller Senate Office Building, 2 East Wing
11 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401 - 1991
(410) 841-3623, (301) 858-3623
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3623 (toll free)
fax: (410) 841-3730, (301) 858-3730