Florida 2024 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0701 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	HB 701 2024
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb0701-00
9	9	Page 1 of 4
10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
11	11
12	12
13	13
14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to pet rabbits; creating s. 828.1618, 2
16	16	F.S.; prohibiting the sale of rabbits in specified 3
17	17	locations and during specified months; specifying 4
18	18	unlawful acts relating to the sale, offer for sale, 5
19	19	and give away for merchandising premiums of certain 6
20	20	rabbits; providing requirements for rabbits offered 7
21	21	for sale at retail pet stores; requiring retail pet 8
22	22	stores to maintain and make available specified 9
23	23	records; providing for the retrieval, return, and 10
24	24	placement of abandoned rabbits; authorizing specified 11
25	25	officials to enter retail pet stores and conduct 12
26	26	compliance inspections; prohibiting persons from 13
27	27	refusing or interfering with such inspections; 14
28	28	providing penalties; providing exceptions; providing 15
29	29	an effective date. 16
30	30	17
31	31	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18
32	32	19
33	33	Section 1. Section 828.1618, Florida Statutes, is created 20
34	34	to read: 21
35	35	828.1618 Rabbits.— 22
36	36	(1) The sale of rabbits is prohib ited: 23
37	37	(a) On any public or private streets and rights -of-way, 24
38	38	within 50 feet of any right -of-way, at any flea market, in a 25
39	39
40	40	HB 701 2024
41	41
42	42
43	43
44	44	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
45	45	hb0701-00
46	46	Page 2 of 4
47	47	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
48	48
49	49
50	50
51	51	private parking lot, or at any open -air venue, such as a parade, 26
52	52	concert, or festival. 27
53	53	(b) In retail pet stores during the mont hs of March and 28
54	54	April. During the months of March and April, retail stores shall 29
55	55	keep rabbits in a separate area, off the sales floor and out of 30
56	56	view of the public, and label each cage, kennel, or enclosure 31
57	57	with signage indicating that the rabbits are not for sale until 32
58	58	May 1. 33
59	59	(2) It is unlawful to sell, offer for sale, or give away 34
60	60	as a merchandising premium any rabbit under 2 months of age to 35
61	61	be used as a pet, toy, or retail premium. Rabbits under 2 months 36
62	62	of age may not be kept on the premises of a re tail pet store. 37
63	63	(3) Each rabbit offered for sale at a retail pet store 38
64	64	must: 39
65	65	(a) Be kept one per cage, kennel, or enclosure to avoid 40
66	66	unwanted pregnancies. The cage, kennel, or enclosure must be 41
67	67	kept clean and dry and may not have wire floors. 42
68	68	(b) Have proper food, water, and hay for digestion at all 43
69	69	times. 44
70	70	(c) Have signage posted on the cage, kennel, or enclosure 45
71	71	which includes the date of birth; name, city, and state of the 46
72	72	breeder; and microchip number of the rabbit. 47
73	73	(d) Be microchipped and have its microchip registered with 48
74	74	the name, city, and state of the retail pet store and breeder. 49
75	75	(4)(a) Each retail pet store shall maintain records 50
76	76
77	77	HB 701 2024
78	78
79	79
80	80
81	81	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
82	82	hb0701-00
83	83	Page 3 of 4
84	84	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
85	85
86	86
87	87
88	88	documenting the source of each rabbit acquired by the retail pet 51
89	89	store. The records must: 52
90	90	1. Include a certificate of source and veterinary 53
91	91	inspection. 54
92	92	2. Be located in close proximity to the rabbit enclosure. 55
93	93	3. Be available for review by potential purchasers. 56
94	94	(b) Records must be kept for at least 2 years following 57
95	95	the date of acquisition and must be made available, immediately 58
96	96	upon request, to any police officer, code enforcement officer, 59
97	97	animal control officer, humane law enforcement officer, or other 60
98	98	investigating official. 61
99	99	(5) Abandoned rabbits must be retrieved by local 62
100	100	authorities, and if an owner is not found, the rabbit must be 63
101	101	returned to the retail store that registered the microchip. If 64
102	102	the retail store is no longer in business, the rabbit must be 65
103	103	returned to the breeder. If the breeder is no longer in 66
104	104	business, authorities must fin d a legitimate rabbit rescue or 67
105	105	animal shelter to care for the rabbit. 68
106	106	(6) A city, county, or any investigating official may 69
107	107	enter the premises of any retail pet store during regular 70
108	108	business hours to conduct reasonable inspections to ensure and 71
109	109	verify compliance with this section. A person may not refuse or 72
110	110	interfere with a lawful inspection of a retail pet store by 73
111	111	investigating officials. 74
112	112	(7) A person who violates this section commits a 75
113	113
114	114	HB 701 2024
115	115
116	116
117	117
118	118	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
119	119	hb0701-00
120	120	Page 4 of 4
121	121	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
122	122
123	123
124	124
125	125	misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 76
126	126	775.082 or s. 775.083. 77
127	127	(8) This section does not apply to rabbits raised for: 78
128	128	(a) Agricultural purposes by persons with proper 79
129	129	facilities to care for them. 80
130	130	(b) Livestock exhibitions. 81
131	131	(c) Future Farmers of America or 4 -H activities. 82
132	132	Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2024. 83