Florida Senate - 2020                                     SB 906
       
       
        
       By Senator Farmer
       
       
       
       
       
       34-00321-20                                            2020906__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to prohibited reptiles; amending s.
    3         379.372, F.S.; making technical changes; prohibiting a
    4         person, party, firm, association, or corporation from
    5         keeping, possessing, importing, selling, bartering,
    6         trading, or breeding for personal use or sale for
    7         personal use green iguanas or black and white tegus;
    8         reenacting s. 379.2311(1), F.S., relating to the
    9         definition of the term “priority invasive species,” to
   10         incorporate the amendment made to s. 379.372, F.S., in
   11         a reference thereto; providing an effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 379.372, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   16  read:
   17         379.372 Capturing, keeping, possessing, transporting, or
   18  exhibiting venomous reptiles, reptiles of concern, conditional
   19  reptiles, or prohibited reptiles; license required.—
   20         (1)(a) A No person, a party, a firm, an association, or a
   21  corporation may not shall capture, keep, possess, or exhibit any
   22  poisonous or venomous reptile or reptile of concern without
   23  first having obtained a special permit or license therefor from
   24  the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as provided in
   25  this section.
   26         (b) By December 31, 2007, The commission shall establish a
   27  list of reptiles of concern, including venomous, nonvenomous,
   28  native, nonnative, or other reptiles, which require additional
   29  regulation for capture, possession, transportation, or
   30  exhibition due to their nature, habits, status, or potential to
   31  negatively impact humans, the environment, or ecology.
   32         (c) It is shall be unlawful for any person, party, firm,
   33  association, or corporation, whether licensed hereunder or not,
   34  to capture, keep, possess, or exhibit any venomous reptile or
   35  reptile of concern in any manner not approved as safe, secure,
   36  and proper by the commission. Venomous reptiles or reptiles of
   37  concern held in captivity are subject to inspection by the
   38  commission. The commission shall determine whether the reptiles
   39  are securely, safely, and properly penned. If In the event that
   40  the reptiles are not safely penned, the commission must shall
   41  report the situation in writing to the person, party, firm,
   42  association, or corporation owning the reptiles. Failure of the
   43  person, party, firm, association, or corporation to correct the
   44  situation within 30 days after such written notice is shall be
   45  grounds for revocation of the license or permit of the person,
   46  party, firm, association, or corporation.
   47         (d) Venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern must shall be
   48  transported in a safe, secure, and proper manner. The commission
   49  shall establish by rule the requirements for the transportation
   50  of venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern.
   51         (2)(a) A No person, a party, a firm, an association, or a
   52  corporation may not shall keep, possess, import into the state,
   53  sell, barter, trade, or breed any of the following species for
   54  personal use or for sale for personal use:
   55         1. Burmese or Indian python (Python molurus).
   56         2. Reticulated python (Python reticulatus).
   57         3. Northern African python (Python sebae).
   58         4. Southern African python (Python natalensis).
   59         5. Amethystine or scrub python (Morelia amethystinus).
   60         6. Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus).
   61         7. Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus).
   62         8. Green iguana (Iguana iguana).
   63         9. Black and white tegu (Salvator merianae).
   64         10.8. Any other reptile designated as a conditional or
   65  prohibited species by the commission.
   66         (b) If a person, party, firm, association, or corporation
   67  holds a permit issued before July 1, 2010, under subsection (1)
   68  to legally possess a species listed in paragraph (a), that
   69  person, party, firm, association, or corporation may possess
   70  such reptile for the remainder of the life of the reptile.
   71         (c) If a person, party, firm, association, or corporation
   72  holds a permit issued before July 1, 2010, under subsection (1)
   73  to legally possess a reptile listed in paragraph (a), and the
   74  reptile remains alive following the death or dissolution of the
   75  licensee, the reptile may be legally transferred to another
   76  entity holding a permit authorizing possession of the reptile
   77  for the remainder of the life of the reptile.
   78         (d) If the commission designates a species of reptile as a
   79  conditional or prohibited species after July 1, 2010, the
   80  commission may authorize the personal possession of that newly
   81  designated species by those licensed to possess that species of
   82  reptile before the effective date of the species’ designation by
   83  the commission as a conditional or prohibited species. The
   84  personal possession of such reptile is not a violation of
   85  paragraph (a) if the personal possession was authorized by the
   86  commission.
   87         (e) This subsection does not apply to traveling wildlife
   88  exhibitors that are licensed or registered under the United
   89  States Animal Welfare Act or to zoological facilities that are
   90  licensed or exempted by the commission from the licensure
   91  requirement.
   92         Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
   93  made by this act to section 379.372, Florida Statutes, in a
   94  reference thereto, subsection (1) of section 379.2311, Florida
   95  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
   96         379.2311 Nonnative animal management.—
   97         (1) As used in this section, the term “priority invasive
   98  species” means the following:
   99         (a) Lizards of the genus Tupinambis, also known as tegu
  100  lizards;
  101         (b) Species identified in s. 379.372(2)(a);
  102         (c) Pterois volitans, also known as red lionfish; and
  103         (d) Pterois miles, also known as the common lionfish or
  104  devil firefish.
  105         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.