Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H990 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2107 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 990
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jack Patrick Lewis
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act prohibiting the sale of newly farmed fur products.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/15/2025Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol2/5/2025Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk2/5/2025Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/5/2025Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex2/13/2025James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/13/2025Brian W. Murray10th Worcester2/13/2025James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/13/2025Marjorie C. Decker25th Middlesex3/10/2025Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester3/10/2025James Arciero2nd Middlesex3/10/2025Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth3/10/2025Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester3/10/2025David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester3/10/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex3/10/2025Adam J. Scanlon14th Bristol3/10/2025Adrianne Pusateri Ramos14th Essex3/10/2025 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2107 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 990
18	18	By Representative Lewis of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 990) of
19	19	Jack Patrick Lewis and others for legislation to prohibit the sale of farmed fur products.
20	20	Environment and Natural Resources.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act prohibiting the sale of newly farmed fur products.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 110H the
30	30	2following chapter:-
31	31	3 CHAPTER 110I.
32	32	4 SALE OF FARMED FUR PRODUCTS.
33	33	5 Section 1. The general court finds that eliminating the sale of farmed fur products in the
34	34	6Commonwealth of Massachusetts will decrease demand for cruel products, reduce public health
35	35	7risks, promote community awareness of animal welfare, foster a more humane environment, and
36	36	8enhance the reputation of the Commonwealth.
37	37	9 Section 2. For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following
38	38	10meanings: 2 of 4
39	39	11 “Fur,” any animal skin or part thereof with hair, fleece, or fur fibers attached thereto,
40	40	12either in its raw or processed state.
41	41	13 “Fur product,” any article of clothing or covering for any part of the body, or any fashion
42	42	14accessory, including but not limited to handbags, shoes, slippers, hats, earmuffs, scarves, shawls,
43	43	15gloves, jewelry, keychains, toys or trinkets, and home accessories and décor, that is made in
44	44	16whole or part of fur. “Fur product” shall not include any of the following:
45	45	17 (1)An animal skin or part thereof that is to be converted into leather, or
46	46	18 which in processing will have the hair, fleece, or fur fiber completely removed;
47	47	19 (2)Animal hair, fleece, or fur fibers that are not attached to skin (e.g., fishing
48	48	20 lures); or
49	49	21 (3) Fur, wool, or other fibers sourced exclusively from any member of the family
50	50	22Bovidae, Camelidae, Equidae, Suidae, or Cervidae.
51	51	23 “Fur farm,” any operation, including the land, buildings, support facilities, and any other
52	52	24location or equipment, in which animals – including but not limited to, mink, fox, raccoon dog or
53	53	25chinchilla – are owned, controlled, raised, bred, propagated, or kept for the value of their fur.
54	54	26 “Person,” any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability
55	55	27company, corporation, estate, trust, receiver, or syndicate.
56	56	28 “Ultimate consumer,” an individual who buys a fur product for their own use, or for the
57	57	29use of another, but not for resale or trade.
58	58	30 “Used fur product,” a fur product that has been worn or used by an ultimate consumer. 3 of 4
59	59	31 Section 3. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person shall not sell, offer
60	60	32for sale, display for sale, trade, or otherwise distribute for monetary or nonmonetary
61	61	33consideration, a fur product in Massachusetts if any of the fur contained in the fur product was
62	62	34sourced from an animal that was raised, maintained, kept, or housed for all or part of its life on a
63	63	35fur farm.
64	64	36 (b) For purposes of this section, the sale of a fur product occurs in Massachusetts if:
65	65	37 (1) The buyer takes physical possession of the fur product in Massachusetts; or,
66	66	38 (2) The seller is located in Massachusetts.
67	67	39 Section 4. The prohibitions in section 3 shall not apply to the sale, offer for sale, display
68	68	40for sale, trade, or distribution of:
69	69	41 (1) A used fur product;
70	70	42 (2) A fur product used for religious purposes; or
71	71	43 (3) A fur product where the activity is expressly authorized by federal law.
72	72	44 Section 5. (a) The attorney general shall enforce this chapter. The attorney general may
73	73	45also seek injunctive relief to prevent further violations of this chapter.
74	74	46 (b) Within 6 months of the passage of this act, the attorney general shall promulgate rules
75	75	47and regulations for the implementation and enforcement of this chapter.
76	76	48 (c) A person who violates this chapter shall be liable for a civil penalty of not less than
77	77	49five hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars per violation. Each fur product that
78	78	50constitutes a violation of this chapter shall be treated as a separate violation. 4 of 4
79	79	51 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 1 year after passage.