Hearing for the FL Python Ban MARCH 10TH 2010!

[VoodooChile]

PIJAC
GOTTA LOVE THE ONE DAY NOTICE!

Florida Proposes A Ban On Certain Snakes And Other Reptiles
** Hearing Set For March 10th **
The Issue:
Legislation banning five snake species and certain other reptiles has been introduced in both houses of the Florida Legislature. Senate Bill 318 and House Bill 709 ban the listed animals for "personal use", essentially banning them as pets. A hearing for HB 709 has been announced with one day's notice for tomorrow, Wednesday, March 10th.

The Impact:
Companion bills, Senate Bill 318 and House Bill 709, provide that "no person, firm, or corporation may keep, possess, import into the state, sell, barter, trade, or breed the following species for personal use or for sale for personal use:

* Burmese or Indian python (Python molurus);
* Reticulated python (Python reticulatus);
* African rock python (Python sebae);
* Amethystine or scrub python (Morelia amethystinus);
* Anaconda (Eunectes);
* Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus); and
* Any other reptile designated as a reptile of concern by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission."

The bills state that if a person holds a permit issued before July 1, 2010 to capture, keep, possess, or exhibit any poisonous or venomous reptile or reptile of concern, that person may possess the individual reptile for the remainder of that reptile's life.

Also, any person who possesses an anaconda, other than a green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), and who meets the required criteria, must obtain a permit from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission by October 1, 2010, in order to keep that anaconda for the remainder of its life.

PIJAC Position:
Generally, PIJAC supports licensing legislation for species that could become invasive; however, an outright ban of the listed species in HB 709 will drive trade underground, except for the few who would be able to qualify for a permit.

As drafted, HB 709 would prohibit existing owners from selling their breeding stock and/or progeny to other states or countries where one may possess these species. The alternative for owners of the listed species is to incur substantial expenses to maintain the animals for their lifetime, turn them loose or euthanize otherwise healthy animals. The state needs to adopt a more sustainable and flexible regulatory mechanism to handle these species.

Recommended Action:
As stated above, a hearing has been set for TOMORROW, Wednesday, March 10th in the House Natural Resources Appropriations Committee at 3:00 p.m., Room 306 HOB, in Tallahassee.

Anyone affected by this legislation should contact the Committee members IMMEDIATELY to express concerns and attend the hearing if possible. Click 'Take Action' to find out who your Representative is and to learn how to contact them.

Click here to read the text to HB 709.

If you have further questions please feel free to contact PIJAC's Bambi Nicole Osborne by phone at 202-452-1525 or via email at bambi@pijac.org.

[TammyJamaica]

What's happening with this NOW? This is a grave threat.

[Sakara]

wow. that is ridiculous.

[snakehooked]

Jeebus, not even enough warning to make a phone call. Hearing is over by now.

[TammyJamaica]

Anyone know what happened?

[TammyJamaica]

Is this where I say "BUMP"???

[snakehooked]

Haven't heard anything yet.

[telefrag]

you know whats really the scary part.

this isn't going away, ever.

we can fight one bill, then another may get snuck in and overnight they have created outlaw pet owners.

someone high up wants this pretty bad, and they are going to keep fighting to ban these animals at some level, and its just a matter of time before its done in such a underhanded way that we won't see it coming.

that's what worries me the most.

[TammyJamaica]

Shades of "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. The wrong people in charge of the wrong things, and unempowered people suffering because of it.

He also wrote "1984" as a futuristic work, in 1948. Now it's happening.

All we can do is our utmost to stop it or cripple it as much as possible.

[Rachel SS]

Originally Posted by TammyJamaica

Shades of "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. The wrong people in charge of the wrong things, and unempowered people suffering because of it.
He also wrote "1984" as a futuristic work, in 1948. Now it's happening.
All we can do is our utmost to stop it or cripple it as much as possible.

What's interesting is I made this EXACT comparison in another thread.

[TammyJamaica]

Really??? I did not see that other thread.

Anyway it is certainly true!

[TammyJamaica]

Originally Posted by Rachel SS

What's interesting is I made this EXACT comparison in another thread.

It's bothering me, Rachel, that maybe you think I was trying to "steal your glory" and copy what you already said.

Could you please tell me what thread you said this EXACT thing about Animal Farm in? Maybe I did see it and just did not remember.

I am not a sneak.

[mongoose5971]

Any word on this??

[snakehooked]

I found this story.
Committee Passes Ban On Pythons - Central Florida News 13
And this one.
Python Ban Bill Slithering Through State House - Central Florida News 13

Please keep in mind that this still hasn't been voted on by the FL House yet.

[Rachel SS]

Originally Posted by TammyJamaica

It's bothering me, Rachel, that maybe you think I was trying to "steal your glory" and copy what you already said.
Could you please tell me what thread you said this EXACT thing about Animal Farm in? Maybe I did see it and just did not remember.
I am not a sneak.

Chill out, I was saying I agree with you and made the exact same comparison in another related thread, not insinuating you copied me. Put the claws away.

[TammyJamaica]

Rachel, I was declawed years ago when I turned 40.

I also know when to withdraw the paws.

Cut the hiSS.

[TammyJamaica]

Originally Posted by snakehooked

I found this story.
Committee Passes Ban On Pythons - Central Florida News 13
And this one.
Python Ban Bill Slithering Through State House - Central Florida News 13
Please keep in mind that this still hasn't been voted on by the FL House yet.

This is awful anyway. Such dishonest, biased and ignorant reporting.

Things are getting really scary here in Jamaica too for the few exotics owners that are here including me.

[mongoose5971]

I sent them a piece of my mind (Along with some statistics)