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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2266 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 590
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
John C. Velis
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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 prohibiting the sale of fur products.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John C. VelisHampden and HampshireJack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/20/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/28/2023Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable2/28/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/28/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/28/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk3/3/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden3/3/2023 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2266 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 590
By Mr. Velis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 590) of John C. Velis, Jack Patrick
Lewis, Vanna Howard, Steven George Xiarhos and other members of the General Court for
legislation to prohibit the sale of fur products. Environment and Natural Resources.
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 prohibiting the sale of fur products.
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. New Chapter 110I to Title XV Regulation of Trade of the General Laws is
2hereby added:
3 Chapter 110I: Trade of Fur Products
4 § 1. Terms defined
5 For the purposes of this chapter the following terms have the following meanings
6 (a) “Fur”, any animal skin or part thereof with hair, fleece, or fur fibers attached thereto,
7either in its raw or processed state.
8 (b) (1) “Fur product”, any article of clothing or covering for any part of the body, or any
9fashion accessory, including, but not limited to, handbags, shoes, slippers, hats, earmuffs,
10scarves, shawls, gloves, jewelry, keychains, toys, and home accessories and décor, that is made
11in whole or part of fur. 2 of 3
12 (2) “Fur product” does not include any of the following:
13 (i) An animal skin or part thereof that is to be converted into leather, or which in
14processing will have the hair, fleece, or fur fiber completely removed;
15 (ii) Cowhide with the hair attached thereto;
16 (iii) Lambskin or sheepskin with the fleece attached thereto; or
17 (iv) The pelt or skin of any animal that is preserved through taxidermy or for the purpose
18of taxidermy.
19 (c) “Non-profit organization”, any corporation that is organized under 26 U.S.C. §
20501(c)(3) that is created for charitable, religious, philanthropic, educational, or similar purposes.
21 (d) “Taxidermy”, the practice of preparing and preserving the skin of an animal that is
22deceased and stuffing and mounting it in a lifelike form.
23 (e) “Ultimate consumer”, an individual who buys a fur product for their own use, or the
24use of another, but not for resale or trade.
25 (f) “Used fur product”, a fur product that has been worn or used by an ultimate consumer.
26 § 2. Fur Product Prohibition; exemptions; penalties
27 (a) Notwithstanding M.G.L.A. 266 § 79 or any other provision of law, it is unlawful to
28sell, offer for sale, display for sale, trade, or otherwise distribute for monetary or nonmonetary
29consideration a fur product in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For purposes of this section,
30the sale of a fur product shall be deemed to occur in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts if: (1) 3 of 3
31the buyer takes physical possession of the fur product in Massachusetts; or (2) the seller is
32located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
33 (b) The prohibitions outlined in this Section do not apply to the sale, offer for sale,
34displaying for sale, trade, or distribution of:
35 (1) a used fur product by an individual (excluding a retail transaction), non-profit
36organization, or second-hand store, including a pawn shop;
37 (2) a fur product used for traditional tribal, cultural, or spiritual purposes by a member of
38a federally recognized or state-recognized Native American tribe; or
39 (3) a fur product where the activity is expressly authorized by federal or state law.
40 (c) A person convicted of a violation of this Chapter shall be fined no less than five
41hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars per fur product.
42 SECTION 2. Severability.
43 If any section, subsection, or paragraph of this Act shall be held unconstitutional either on
44its face or as applied, the unconstitutionality of the section, subsection, or paragraph, or of the
45application thereof, shall not affect the other sections, subsections, and paragraphs of this Act,
46and the applications thereof; and to that end the sections, subsections, and paragraphs of this Act
47are intended to be severable.
48 SECTION 3. Effective date.
49 This Act shall take effect no later than 180 days following the passage of this Act.