Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2297 Compare Versions

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

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1	1	Session of 2025
2	2	HOUSE BILL No. 2297
3	3	By Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
4	4	Requested by Representative Seiwert
5	5	2-5
6	6	AN ACT concerning animals; authorizing the animal health commissioner
7	7	to issue permits for raccoon ownership; mandating that such raccoons
8	8	be vaccinated against rabies and other diseases and undergo annual
9	9	veterinary checkups; prohibiting persons from breeding raccoons in
10	10	captivity unless any such person is federally licensed for such purpose;
11	11	requiring the completion of an educational program on raccoon care
12	12	before permit issuance; implementing public awareness campaigns;
13	13	allowing inspections of permittee premises once per year unless
14	14	violations or complaints arise; providing for rehoming or euthanasia of
15	15	a raccoon if a permittee is unfit to care therefor; prohibiting local
16	16	regulations that are stricter than state law regarding raccoon ownership;
17	17	authorizing the commissioner to set fees for applications, renewals,
18	18	inspections and transfers, with fines for violations; allowing for appeal
19	19	or deferment of permit fees in extraordinary circumstances, with
20	20	potential fee waivers for ownership transfers.
21	21	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
22	22	Section 1. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a raccoon
23	23	as a pet unless such person has obtained from the animal health
24	24	commissioner a raccoon ownership permit. Applications for any such
25	25	permit shall be made in writing on a form provided by the commissioner.
26	26	The permit period shall be for the permit year ending on January 31
27	27	following the issuance date.
28	28	(b) Raccoons possessed in accordance with this section shall be
29	29	vaccinated against rabies and other transmissible diseases and, each
30	30	calendar year, undergo veterinary checkups.
31	31	(c) Owners shall provide a safe, secure and conducive environment
32	32	for the raccoon. Enclosures shall meet minimum size and enrichment
33	33	standards.
34	34	(d) (1) It shall be unlawful for any person to breed raccoons in
35	35	captivity unless such person is licensed by the United States department of
36	36	agriculture for such purpose.
37	37	(2) The animal health commissioner shall establish a framework for
38	38	connecting permittees to such federally licensed raccoon breeders.
39	39	(e) (1) The animal health commissioner shall require applicants for a
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75	75	raccoon ownership permit to complete a brief educational program on
76	76	raccoon behavior, care and handling before issuing a permit to such
77	77	applicant. Any such educational program shall be offered by the
78	78	commissioner or by an animal welfare organization approved by the
79	79	commissioner.
80	80	(2) The commissioner shall implement public awareness campaigns
81	81	to educate Kansas residents about the needs, care and responsibilities
82	82	associated with owning a pet raccoon.
83	83	(f) The animal health commissioner or the commissioner's
84	84	representatives may inspect the premises and records of any permittee not
85	85	more than once each permit year, unless the commissioner has:
86	86	(1) Discovered a violation of this section; or
87	87	(2) received a complaint that such premises is not being operated,
88	88	managed or maintained in accordance with rules and regulations adopted
89	89	pursuant to this section.
90	90	(g) (1) In the event that a permittee is found unfit to care for such
91	91	permittee's raccoon, the animal health commissioner shall work with the
92	92	Kansas department of wildlife and parks, animal rescue organizations or
93	93	sanctuaries to find a suitable new home for the raccoon.
94	94	(2) If rehoming such raccoon is not possible or such raccoon's health
95	95	is in critical condition, euthanasia may be utilized in accordance with
96	96	current veterinary practices.
97	97	(h) (1) No city, county or other political subdivision of this state, or
98	98	any contractor thereof, shall regulate or restrict raccoon ownership in any
99	99	matter that is stricter than what is required by state law or rules and
100	100	regulations adopted by the secretary.
101	101	(2) Any existing or future law, ordinance, rule, regulation or
102	102	resolution prohibited by paragraph (1) shall be null and void.
103	103	(i) (1) The commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations regarding
104	104	application payments and to set fees at amounts that do not exceed the
105	105	following:
106	106	(A) For an initial application, $100;
107	107	(B) for an annual permit renewal, $250;
108	108	(C) for an initial facility inspection, $150;
109	109	(D) for a follow-up inspection, $75 per additional inspection;
110	110	(E) for a late renewal, $100; and
111	111	(F) for a permit transfer, $150.
112	112	(2) If a permittee violates the provisions of this section, resulting in
113	113	the seizure of the permittee's raccoon, a $1,000 fine shall be imposed to
114	114	cover the costs of rehoming and providing care for the raccoon.
115	115	(j) (1) In extraordinary circumstances, such as major illness,
116	116	unexpected loss of income or situations in which funds have been diverted
117	117	to cover the animal's acute medical care, a permittee may initiate an appeal
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161	161	or permit deferment process. The permittee shall submit a written request
162	162	to the animal health commissioner, on a form provided by the
163	163	commissioner, explaining the circumstances and providing any required
164	164	supporting documentation.
165	165	(2) If approved by the commissioner, a permit renewal fee may be
166	166	deferred for up to six months, allowing time for recovery or resolution of
167	167	the appplicable situation.
168	168	(3) If the circumstances indicate that it is in the best interest of the
169	169	raccoon to transfer ownership, the $150 transfer fee may be waived to
170	170	facilitate rehoming and ensure proper care of such raccoon.
171	171	(k) The animal health commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations
172	172	to implement the requirements of this section.
173	173	(l) As used in this section, "raccoon" means any animal that is wholly
174	174	or partially of the species Procyon lotor.
175	175	Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
176	176	publication in the statute book.
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