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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1154 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 650 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Patrick M. O'Connor |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and NorfolkMichael O. MooreSecond Worcester2/4/2025Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/7/2025James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/7/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex2/12/2025John C. VelisHampden and Hampshire2/12/2025Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/14/2025Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex2/26/2025Adam J. Scanlon14th Bristol3/5/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1154 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 650 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 650) of Patrick M. O'Connor, |
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| 19 | 19 | | Michael O. Moore, Michael D. Brady, James K. Hawkins and other members of the General |
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| 20 | 20 | | Court for legislation banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops. Environment |
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| 21 | 21 | | and Natural Resources. |
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| 22 | 22 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 23 | 23 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 550 OF 2023-2024.] |
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| 24 | 24 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 28 | 28 | | _______________ |
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| 29 | 29 | | An Act banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet shops. |
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| 30 | 30 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 31 | 31 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 32 | 32 | | 1 SECTION 1. Section 39A of chapter 129 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 1, before the word “Every”, the |
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| 34 | 34 | | 3following letter:- (a) |
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| 35 | 35 | | 4 SECTION 2. Section 39A of chapter 129 of the General Laws is hereby further amended |
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| 36 | 36 | | 5by striking out, in line 13, the word “section”, and inserting in place thereof the following word:- |
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| 37 | 37 | | 6subsection |
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| 38 | 38 | | 7 SECTION 3. Section 39A of chapter 129 of the General Laws is hereby further amended |
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| 39 | 39 | | 8by inserting after subsection (a) the following 3 subsections:- 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 9 (b) No person engaged in the business of operating a pet shop for which a license must be |
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| 41 | 41 | | 10obtained pursuant to subsection (a); and are regulated under 330 CMR 12.00 shall sell or offer |
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| 42 | 42 | | 11for sale a dog, cat, or rabbit. |
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| 43 | 43 | | 12 (c) Subsection (b) shall not be construed to prohibit a pet shop from offering space to an |
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| 44 | 44 | | 13animal rescue or shelter organization to showcase dogs, cats, or rabbits for adoption so long as |
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| 45 | 45 | | 14the pet shop does not have an ownership interest in the animals offered for adoption. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 15 (d) Nothing in subsections (b) or (c) shall affect the authority of any town, city, or other |
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| 47 | 47 | | 16locality to regulate or prohibit the sale of dogs, cats, or rabbits. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 17 SECTION 4. This act shall go into effect 90 days after its passage |
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