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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3142 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3245
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Carole A. Fiola and Bradley H. Jones, Jr.
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the use of elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes, and bears in traveling exhibits
and shows.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Carole A. Fiola6th Bristol1/11/2023Bradley H. Jones, Jr.20th Middlesex1/20/2023John Barrett, III1st Berkshire1/24/2023Hannah Kane11th Worcester1/24/2023Steven Owens29th Middlesex1/24/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/24/2023Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester1/24/2023Patricia A. Duffy5th Hampden1/24/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester1/25/2023Paul J. Donato35th Middlesex1/25/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/25/2023F. Jay Barrows1st Bristol1/26/2023Jessica Ann Giannino16th Suffolk1/27/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex1/31/2023Paul A. Schmid, III8th Bristol2/1/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/3/2023Ruth B. Balser12th Middlesex2/3/2023 2 of 2
Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable2/4/2023Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/5/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/6/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden2/6/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester2/6/2023Adrian C. Madaro1st Suffolk2/6/2023William C. Galvin6th Norfolk2/7/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk2/8/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/8/2023Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire2/8/2023Denise C. Garlick13th Norfolk2/15/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/15/2023David F. DeCoste5th Plymouth2/16/2023James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/16/2023David Allen Robertson19th Middlesex2/16/2023Josh S. Cutler6th Plymouth2/17/2023Angelo L. D'Emilia8th Plymouth2/18/2023Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth2/21/2023Kate Lipper-Garabedian32nd Middlesex2/22/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/23/2023Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex2/26/2023Tram T. Nguyen18th Essex2/27/2023Kimberly N. Ferguson1st Worcester2/27/2023David Paul Linsky5th Middlesex2/27/2023Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk2/27/2023Kate Donaghue19th Worcester2/28/2023Adrianne Pusateri Ramos14th Essex3/1/2023Simon Cataldo14th Middlesex3/3/2023Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex3/3/2023William J. Driscoll, Jr.7th Norfolk3/6/2023Margaret R. Scarsdale1st Middlesex3/7/2023James Arciero2nd Middlesex3/9/2023Mathew J. Muratore1st Plymouth3/9/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester3/11/2023Jennifer Balinsky Armini8th Essex3/12/2023Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex3/14/2023Kevin G. Honan17th Suffolk3/14/2023 1 of 4
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3142 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3245
By Representatives Fiola of Fall River and Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 3245) of Carole A. Fiola, Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to the use of
elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows. Tourism, Arts
and Cultural Development.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3376 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to the use of elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes, and bears in traveling exhibits
and shows.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 131A the
2following chapter:-
3 CHAPTER 131B.
4 USE OF COVERED ANIMALS IN TRAVELING ANIMAL ACTS PROHIBITED.
5 Section 1. Definitions.
6 The following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly
7requires otherwise: 2 of 4
8 “Covered animal,” any of the following animals, and hybrids thereof:
9 (a) Elephantidae;
10 (b) Felidae: lions (Panthera leo), tigers (Panthera tigris), leopards (Panthera pardus),
11clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa and Neofelis diardi), snow leopards (Panthera uncia),
12jaguars (Panthera onca), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), mountain lions (Puma concolor),
13including any hybrids thereof;
14 (c) Non-human primate;
15 (d) Ursidae; and
16 (e) Giraffidae
17 “Mobile or traveling housing facility,” a transporting vehicle such as a truck, trailer or
18railway car, used to transport or house animals while traveling for exhibition or other
19performance.
20 “Performance,” any exhibition, public showing, presentation, display, exposition, fair,
21animal act, circus, ride, trade show, petting zoo, carnival, parade, race, or similar undertaking in
22which animals are required to perform tricks, give rides, or participate as accompaniments for the
23entertainment, amusement, or benefit of a live audience.
24 “Person,” an individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
25company, estate, trust, receiver, syndicate, association, or other legal entity. 3 of 4
26 “Traveling animal act,” any performance of animals where such animals are transported
27to, from, or between locations for the purpose of such performance, in a mobile or traveling
28housing facility.
29 Section 2. Prohibition.
30 (a) To the extent that such activity is not prohibited by section 77B of chapter 272, and
31notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall allow for the participation of a
32covered animal in a traveling animal act.
33 (b) This chapter shall not apply to a performance that takes place at a non-mobile,
34permanent institution or other fixed facility, provided that the covered animal is not transported
35to such location for the purpose of such performance.
36 Section 3. Civil Penalty.
37 Any person who violates this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than
38five hundred dollars ($500) and not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), per animal
39involved in the violation.
40 Section 4. Enforcement.
41 (a) Any officer or agent authorized by the department, or law enforcement officer of the
42state or of any unit of local government within the state may enforce the provisions of this
43chapter.
44 (b) The director of the division of fish and wildlife, department of fisheries, wildlife
45and environmental law enforcement may adopt rules relating to the implementation of this
46chapter. 4 of 4
47 SECTION 2. The provisions of this Act are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other
48laws protecting animal welfare. This section may not be construed to limit any state law or rules
49protecting the welfare of animals or to prevent a local governing body from adopting and
50enforcing its own animal welfare laws and regulations.
51 SECTION 3. If any part, section or subdivision of this chapter, or the application thereof,
52shall be held invalid, unconstitutional or inoperative as to any particular person, persons or
53conditions, the remainder hereof, or the application of any such part, section or subdivision to
54other persons and conditions, shall not be affected thereby.
55 SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2024.