Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S551 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 712 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 551
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Cynthia Stone Creem
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 :Cynthia Stone CreemNorfolk and MiddlesexJoanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/31/2025Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester2/3/2025Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex2/5/2025Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk2/5/2025James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/7/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex2/26/2025Paul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
16	16	Hampshire
17	17	2/27/2025Adam J. Scanlon14th Bristol3/4/2025 1 of 4
18	18	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 712 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
19	19	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 551
20	20	By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 551) of Cynthia Stone Creem,
21	21	Joanne M. Comerford, Michael O. Moore, Jason M. Lewis and other members of the General
22	22	Court for legislation to prohibit the sale of newly farmed fur products. Environment and Natural
23	23	Resources.
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
27	27	(2025-2026)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act prohibiting the sale of newly farmed fur products.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 SECTION 1. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 110H the
33	33	2following chapter:-
34	34	3 CHAPTER 110I.
35	35	4 SALE OF FARMED FUR PRODUCTS.
36	36	5 Section 1. The general court finds that eliminating the sale of farmed fur products in the
37	37	6Commonwealth of Massachusetts will decrease demand for cruel products, reduce public health
38	38	7risks, promote community awareness of animal welfare, foster a more humane environment, and
39	39	8enhance the reputation of the Commonwealth.
40	40	9 Section 2. For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following
41	41	10meanings: 2 of 4
42	42	11 “Fur,” any animal skin or part thereof with hair, fleece, or fur fibers attached thereto,
43	43	12either in its raw or processed state.
44	44	13 “Fur product,” any article of clothing or covering for any part of the body, or any fashion
45	45	14accessory, including but not limited to handbags, shoes, slippers, hats, earmuffs, scarves, shawls,
46	46	15gloves, jewelry, keychains, toys or trinkets, and home accessories and décor, that is made in
47	47	16whole or part of fur. “Fur product” shall not include any of the following:
48	48	17 (1) An animal skin or part thereof that is to be converted into leather, or which in
49	49	18processing will have the hair, fleece, or fur fiber completely removed;
50	50	19 (2) Animal hair, fleece, or fur fibers that are not attached to skin (e.g., fishing lures); or
51	51	20 (3) Fur, wool, or other fibers sourced exclusively from any member of the family
52	52	21Bovidae, Camelidae, Equidae, Suidae, or Cervidae.
53	53	22 “Fur farm,” any operation, including the land, buildings, support facilities, and any other
54	54	23location or equipment, in which animals – including but not limited to, mink, fox, raccoon dog or
55	55	24chinchilla – are owned, controlled, raised, bred, propagated, or kept for the value of their fur.
56	56	25 “Person,” any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability
57	57	26company, corporation, estate, trust, receiver, or syndicate.
58	58	27 “Ultimate consumer,” an individual who buys a fur product for their own use, or for the
59	59	28use of another, but not for resale or trade.
60	60	29 “Used fur product,” a fur product that has been worn or used by an ultimate consumer. 3 of 4
61	61	30 Section 3. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person shall not sell, offer
62	62	31for sale, display for sale, trade, or otherwise distribute for monetary or nonmonetary
63	63	32consideration, a fur product in Massachusetts if any of the fur contained in the fur product was
64	64	33sourced from an animal that was raised, maintained, kept, or housed for all or part of its life on a
65	65	34fur farm.
66	66	35 (b) For purposes of this section, the sale of a fur product occurs in Massachusetts if:
67	67	36 (1) The buyer takes physical possession of the fur product in Massachusetts; or,
68	68	37 (2) The seller is located in Massachusetts.
69	69	38 Section 4. The prohibitions in section 3 shall not apply to the sale, offer for sale, display
70	70	39for sale, trade, or distribution of:
71	71	40 (1) A used fur product;
72	72	41 (2) A fur product used for religious purposes; or
73	73	42 (3) A fur product where the activity is expressly authorized by federal law.
74	74	43 Section 5. (a) The attorney general shall enforce this chapter. The attorney general may
75	75	44also seek injunctive relief to prevent further violations of this chapter.
76	76	45 (b) Within 6 months of the passage of this act, the attorney general shall promulgate rules
77	77	46and regulations for the implementation and enforcement of this chapter.
78	78	47 (c) A person who violates this chapter shall be liable for a civil penalty of not less than
79	79	48five hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars per violation. Each fur product that
80	80	49constitutes a violation of this chapter shall be treated as a separate violation. 4 of 4
81	81	50 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 1 year after passage.