2019 Regular Session ENROLLED SENATE BILL NO. 65 BY SENATOR LAMBERT Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana. 1 AN ACT 2 To amend and reenact R.S. 56:332(K), relative to crab traps; to provide for the size and 3 location of escape rings; and to provide for related matters. 4 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 5 Section 1. R.S. 56:332(K) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 6 ยง332. Crabs; release of crabs in berry stage; method of taking crabs; time 7 limitations; by-catch; penalties; abandoned crab trap removal 8 program, escape rings 9 * * * 10 K. Except as otherwise provided in this Subsection, each crab trap shall have 11 a minimum of three escape rings. All escape rings shall be placed on the vertical, 12 outside walls flush with the trap floor or baffle, with at least two rings located in the 13 upper chamber of the trap. A minimum of two escape rings shall be located in the 14 upper chamber flush with the baffle. A minimum of one escape ring shall be 15 located in the lower chamber no greater than one mesh length from the trap 16 floor. Beginning on July 1, 2022, all escape rings shall be located no greater than 17 one mesh length from the corners. The minimum sizes of the rings shall be two 18 and three-eighths inches in inside diameter, not including the ring material. The rings 19 shall be rigid and attached to the trap with material of a an equal or smaller diameter 20 than the wire strands of the trap. Except from April first through June thirtieth and 21 from September first through October thirty-first, escape ring openings shall not be 22 obstructed with any material that prevents or hampers exit of crabs. However, the 23 provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to any crab trap constructed of wire 24 mesh two and five-sixteenths inches square or greater. Page 1 of 2 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 65 ENROLLED 1 * * * 2 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not 3 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature 4 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If 5 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become 6 effective on the day following such approval. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED: Page 2 of 2 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions.