| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to reptiles; amending s. 379.372, F.S.; |
| 3 | prohibiting any person from possessing, importing, |
| 4 | selling, trading, or breeding certain specified reptile |
| 5 | species, including a reptile designated as a reptile of |
| 6 | concern by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; |
| 7 | providing certain exceptions applicable to reptiles for |
| 8 | which the owner holds a permit issued before a specified |
| 9 | date; providing an effective date. |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Section 1. Section 379.372, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 14 | to read: |
| 15 | 379.372 Capturing, keeping, possessing, transporting, or |
| 16 | exhibiting venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern; license |
| 17 | required.- |
| 18 | (1)(a) No person, firm, or corporation shall capture, |
| 19 | keep, possess, or exhibit any poisonous or venomous reptile or |
| 20 | reptile of concern without first having obtained a special |
| 21 | permit or license therefor from the Fish and Wildlife |
| 22 | Conservation Commission as provided in this section. |
| 23 | (b)(2) By December 31, 2007, the commission shall |
| 24 | establish a list of reptiles of concern, including venomous, |
| 25 | nonvenomous, native, nonnative, or other reptiles, which require |
| 26 | additional regulation for capture, possession, transportation, |
| 27 | or exhibition due to their nature, habits, status, or potential |
| 28 | to negatively impact humans, the environment, or ecology, or |
| 29 | humans. |
| 30 | (c)(3) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or |
| 31 | corporation, whether licensed hereunder or not, to capture, |
| 32 | keep, possess, or exhibit any venomous reptile or reptile of |
| 33 | concern in any manner not approved as safe, secure, and proper |
| 34 | by the commission. Venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern held |
| 35 | in captivity are subject to inspection by the commission. The |
| 36 | commission shall determine whether the reptiles are securely, |
| 37 | safely, and properly penned. In the event that the reptiles are |
| 38 | not safely penned, the commission shall report the situation in |
| 39 | writing to the person, firm, or corporation owning the reptiles. |
| 40 | Failure of the person, firm, or corporation to correct the |
| 41 | situation within 30 days after such written notice shall be |
| 42 | grounds for revocation of the license or permit of the person, |
| 43 | firm, or corporation. |
| 44 | (d)(4) Venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern shall be |
| 45 | transported in a safe, secure, and proper manner. The commission |
| 46 | shall establish by rule the requirements for the transportation |
| 47 | of venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern. |
| 48 | (2)(a) No person, firm, or corporation shall keep, |
| 49 | possess, import into the state, sell, barter, trade, or breed |
| 50 | the following species for personal use or for sale for personal |
| 51 | use: |
| 52 | 1. Burmese or Indian python (Python molurus). |
| 53 | 2. Reticulated python (Python reticulatus). |
| 54 | 3. African rock python (Python sebae). |
| 55 | 4. Amethystine or scrub python (Morelia amethystinus). |
| 56 | 5. Anaconda (Eunectes). |
| 57 | 6. Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus). |
| 58 | 7. Any other reptile designated as a reptile of concern by |
| 59 | the commission. |
| 60 | (b) However, if a person holds a permit issued before July |
| 61 | 1, 2010, pursuant to subsection (1) to legally possess a species |
| 62 | listed in paragraph (a), that person may possess the individual |
| 63 | reptile for the remainder of that reptile's life. Any person who |
| 64 | possesses an anaconda, other than a green anaconda (Eunectes |
| 65 | murinus), and who meets the required criteria must obtain a |
| 66 | permit pursuant to subsection (1) by October 1, 2010, in order |
| 67 | to keep that anaconda for the remainder of its life. |
| 68 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010. |