UPDATE 3/10: The bill was held/tabled at today’s Committee meeting.
UPDATE 3/9: With short notice, HB5123 should be having a Committee vote tomorrow (3/10). This is a Committee Meeting and not a Public Hearing (which happened on Feb. 27). Any stakeholders should be emailing (again) and/or calling Committee member offices today and asking them to vote NO on HB5123. You can find all Environment Committee members here: https://www.cga.ct.gov/env/ (click on Committee Membership)
UPDATE: This bill has a hearing starting at 10:00 AM on Monday, February 27. This is item #5 on the agenda. Meeting location Legislative Office Building, Room 2B, 300 Capitol Ave #5100, Hartford, CT, and via Zoom and YouTube.
Register to speak (via Zoom or in person) at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JWYdjmRlRYeMkP5SdrE-IA. Registration will close on Sunday, February 26, 2023, at 3:00 P.M.
Submit written testimony (sample letter below) at https://www.cga.ct.gov/aspx/CGATestimonySub/CGAtestimonysubmission.aspx?comm_code=ENV. Simply fill in your name, select the 2/27/23 hearing date, choose “Opposes,” Select bill HB05123, type (or copy/paste from below) or upload your comment, click “I’m Not a Robot,” and hit Submit Testimony.
Watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAnp26iCEXiGvY6rotUkOHg/live.
The Connecticut state legislature session began on January 4th. The Animal Advocacy Caucus has introduced a traveling exotic animal performance ban (HB5123) again for the 2023 session with some slight differences from previous versions. The bill’s Statement of Purpose: “To prohibit the use of certain animals in traveling animal acts.” Traveling animal acts were discussed as a top priority during the Animal Advocacy Caucus meeting held this past December. The bill sponsors and their animal rights lobbying buddies want to expand this in the future to include all animals. Previous bills from them already listed all non-domesticated animals.
Full disclosure is never provided by proponents as to the consequences. For example, with this language, any shows featuring reindeer or camels during the holidays would become illegal. Typically, these bills are pitched to legislators as a way to end any supposed animal abuse in animal shows. Animal welfare laws already exist to address any issues of cruelty or neglect, rendering these animal rights bills pointless and superfluous. There are three clearly stated animal welfare laws already in place in Connecticut Chapter 945 (https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_945.htm) that directly address mistreatment and even donation garnering using animals. To put it plainly, these relentless proposals are nothing more than schemes to fund and feed their animal rights industry and incrementally remove animals from our lives. Each place that adopts their agenda is a feather in their cap only to bolster their number of “wins.” It is only a matter of time before so many states adopt these laws that it will be a shoo-in for them to make it federal law (and federal attempts have already been made). The reality is most Americans don’t even know this is happening behind the scenes. Before they know it, they are left with only memories of what once was, only to ask, “What happened?”
Current laws can be enforced without this unnecessary and redundant legislation which does nothing more than waste taxpayer money and sidestep real animal welfare issues. Animal rights and pseudo-animal welfare groups will continue to feed legislators misinformation, so it is our job as industry experts to educate with the facts.
This will prohibit using certain animals (listed below) in entertainment with the assumption that inherent cruelty and abuse are present. There are no exceptions for educational shows that may include fennec foxes, Virginia opossums, or lemurs. There are no reptiles included in this ban; however, USARK understands the value of alerting other animal interests. It is also easy to add species to the ban after passage. Regardless of what species are involved, the bill is unnecessary and a waste of tax dollars. Measures like this only punish responsible citizens, not those breaking federal and state animal cruelty laws.
It is a clear display of how deep the pockets and connections of the animal rights movement are in our society and where their focus lies despite all the real-world problems we are facing today. Species included in the bill are below and are listed as “Covered animals.” It is important to note that there is no exception for accredited zoological institutions.
REMEMBER: This is just the initial list. Species can be added at any time! STOP it now even if your species is not included! This is just the beginning.
NOTE: It does not matter what legislators state as the intent of the bill. Laws are not enforced by legislators!
Species currently listed as “covered animals” in this bill:
1. Artiodactyla excluding domestic cattle, bison, American buffalo, water buffalo, yak,
zebu, gayal, bali cattle, suidae, sheep, goats, llamas or alpacas
2. Canidae excluding domestic dogs
3. Elasmobranchii excluding rays
4. Elephantidae
5. Felidae excluding domestic cats
6. Marsupialia
7. Nonhuman primates
8. Perissodactyla excluding domestic horses, ponies, donkeys or mules
9. Pinnipedia
10. Ratites
11. Ursidae
Read the bill text at https://www.cga.ct.gov/2023/TOB/H/PDF/2023HB-05123-R00-HB.PDF
Full bill details at https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HB05123&which_year=2023.
Sample Messaging
What to do:
1. Send your opposition via this link: https://www.cga.ct.gov/aspx/CGATestimonySub/CGAtestimonysubmission.aspx?comm_code=ENV, – Simply fill in your name, select the 2/27/23 hearing date, choose “Opposes,” Select bill HB05123, type (or copy/paste from below) or upload your comment, click “I’m Not a Robot,” and hit Submit Testimony.
2. Email the legislators/staff below;
3. Fax and mail letters;
4. Attend hearings and voice opposition, if possible;
5. SHARE this and encourage others to complete the Alert!!!
Email list (just copy/paste to email):
sue.tufts@cga.ct.gov, lawrence.cook@cga.ct.gov, joseph.gresko@cga.ct.gov, barry.hubbard@cga.ct.gov, patricia.dillon@cga.ct.gov, dawn.marzik@cga.ct.gov, giovanni.pinto@cga.ct.gov, maria.horn@cga.ct.gov, marc-yves.regis@cga.ct.gov, joe.oleary@cga.ct.gov, kenneth.gucker@cga.ct.gov, Brandon.Chafee@cga.ct.gov, mike.demicco@cga.ct.gov, kim.taylor@cga.ct.gov, geraldo.reyes@cga.ct.gov, kevin.ryan@cga.ct.gov, emily.zambrello@cga.ct.gov, christine.palm@cga.ct.gov, taylor.hyde@cga.ct.gov, jack.hennessy@cga.ct.gov, danielle.faipler@cga.ct.gov, JohnMichael.Parker@cga.ct.gov, billy.taylor@cga.ct.gov, corey.paris@cga.ct.gov, danielle.faipler@cga.ct.gov, alexander.romanowicz@cga.ct.gov, joe.oleary@cga.ct.gov, frank.smith@cga.ct.gov, william.cromwell@cga.ct.gov, mary.mushinsky@cga.ct.gov, barry.hubbard@cga.ct.gov, david.michel@cga.ct.gov, daniela.luna@cga.ct.gov, lawrence.cook@cga.ct.gov, Aimee.Berger-Girvalo@cga.ct.gov, brittany.kane@cga.ct.gov, matthew.fraulino@cga.ct.gov, michael.meadows@cga.ct.gov, jason.pheasant@cga.ct.gov, john.piscopo@housegop.ct.gov, tom.odea@housegop.ct.gov, Patrick.Callahan@housegop.ct.gov, greg.mackinnon@cga.ct.gov, Craig.Fishbein@housegop.ct.gov, jamison.bazinet@cga.ct.gov, doug.dubitsky@housegop.ct.gov, michael.meadows@cga.ct.gov, jon.shugarts@cga.ct.gov, Cindy.Harrison@housegop.ct.gov, jamison.bazinet@cga.ct.gov
Subject line:
NO to HB5123
Members of the Joint Environment Committee,
As a dedicated advocate for animal welfare, I implore you to vote NO on HB5123. The state of Connecticut already has animal cruelty and welfare laws within the Connecticut Code, Title 53, Chapter 945 that address the concerns listed in this bill. Enforce the current laws! This is yet another law that will not accomplish its stated purpose and is nothing more than a solution looking for a problem. Are you aware that this language turns law-abiding USDA licensees into criminals? Is this really how legislators should be spending their time and my tax dollars?
Despite using scientific classifications for animals, it seems this proposal lacks research. For example, all marsupials would be banned. This includes our own native Virginia opossum, which would no longer be a candidate for outreach shows about wildlife endemic to Connecticut. The outreach program at Beardsley Zoo would be affected even though they are an accredited facility. Also included are camels. Arabian or Dromedary camels have been domesticated for thousands of years and no longer have wild populations discernable from their domestic DNA. No one would be able to use them for a live nativity scene during the holidays if this were to pass. Most notably, it would be illegal for Santa to bring his reindeer to the Reindeer Festival and workshop in Greenwich.
The fact is that this legislation is unnecessary. Punish the “bad actors” and the criminals. No new law is needed to protect animals as Connecticut can already prosecute animal abusers.
Superfluous laws are becoming commonplace. Tax dollars and legislative resources are continually being wasted to propose duplicative laws. Even worse, collective punishment is becoming an accepted practice in our government. Instead of focusing on criminals, many new laws choose to punish good citizens. This bill is far-reaching and rife with unintended consequences, including making criminals out of those dedicated individuals who responsibly conduct educational programs with animals.
Please realize that this proposal does not do anything to improve animal welfare. Thank you for your time and consideration on this matter.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
