2023 -- H 5742
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LC001542
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- FURBEARING ANIMALS
Introduced By: Representatives Noret, Chippendale, Corvese, and Casey
Date Introduced: February 21, 2023
Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 20-16-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-16 entitled "Furbearing 1
Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
20-16-1. Furbearers protected. 3
(a) No person shall hunt, pursue, shoot, or trap, or attempt so to do, the following furbearing 4
mammals in this state, except in accordance with rules and regulations governing seasons, bag 5
limits, and methods of taking adopted by the director pursuant to § 20-1-12. 6
(b) For the purposes of this chapter, “furbearers” shall be considered to include: 7
(1) Carnivores (Order Carnivora): 8
(i) Family Canidae, genus Canis (coyote); genus Urocyon (gray fox); genus Vulpes (red 9
fox). 10
(ii) Family Procyonidae, genus Procyon (raccoon). 11
(iii) Family Mustelidae, genus Martes (fisher); genus Mustela, M. erminea (ermine)(short-12
tailed weasel), M. frenata (longtailed weasel), M. genus Neovision, N., vison (mink), genus 13
Mephitis (striped skunk), genus Lutra genus Lontra (river otter). 14
(iv) Family Mephitidae, genus Mephitis (striped skunk). 15
(iv)(v) Family Felidae, genus Lynx (bobcat). 16
(vi) Family Ursidae, genus Ursus (black bear). 17
(2) Rodents (Order Rodentia): 18
(i) Family Castoridae, genus Castor (beaver). 19
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(ii) Family Sciuridae, genus Sciurus (gray squirrel), genus tamiascurus (red squirrel). 1
(iii) Family Cricetidae, genus Ondatra (muskrat). 2
(iv) Family Erethizontidae, genus Erethizon (porcupine). 3
(3) Marsupials (Order Marsupialia): Family Didelphidae, genus Didelphis (opossum). 4
(4) Rabbits and hares (Order Lagomorpha): Family Leporidae, genus Sylvilagus (Eastern 5
and New England cottontail), genus Lepus (snowshoe hare). 6
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 7
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- FURBEARING ANIMALS
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This act would add additional species to the prohibition of hunting, shooting or trapping 1
except in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the department of environmental 2
management governing hunting seasons and limits. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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LC001542
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