HLS 20RS-482 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 352
BY REPRESENTATIVE BOURRIAQUE
WILDLIFE/ENFORCEMENT: Prohibits the collection or harvest of turtle eggs and
diamondback terrapins
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 56:635 and to repeal R.S. 56:326(A)(11), relative to turtles; to
3 prohibit the collection or harvest of diamondback terrapins; to prohibit the collection
4 or harvest of the eggs of any species of turtles; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 56:635 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
7 ยง635. Diamondback terrapins; trapping; turtle eggs
8 A. No person shall take, collect, or harvest diamondback terrapins by any
9 means of traps of any kind, and no person shall take, collect, or harvest the eggs of
10 any species of turtle, except the red ear (Trachemys Scripta), wherever found.
11 B. No person shall ship diamondback terrapins out of the state between the
12 fifteenth of April and the fifteenth of June. All diamondback terrapins caught by any
13 means whatsoever during that period shall be immediately returned to the water
14 alive.
15 Section 2. R.S. 56:326(A)(11) is hereby repealed in its entirety.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-482 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 352
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 352 Original 2020 Regular Session Bourriaque
Abstract: Prohibits the harvest of diamondback terrapins and prohibits the harvest of the
eggs of any species of turtles.
Present law prohibits the trapping of diamondback terrapins and prohibits taking the
terrapins out of the state between April 15th and June 15th each year. Further prohibits
taking the eggs of any species of turtle, except the red ear (Trachemys Scripta).
Proposed law prohibits the taking of diamondback terrapins by any means and prohibits the
taking of eggs of any species of turtle with no exceptions.
Present law provides for a 6-inch size limit for the taking of diamondback terrapins.
Proposed law repeals the size limit.
(Amends R.S. 56:635; Repeals R.S. 56:326(A)(11))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.