New York State Assembly

 
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A05850 Summary:

A05850 Actions:

A05850 Committee Votes:

Committee:ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION   Chair:Glick      
DATE:04/02/2025AYE/NAY:21/7  Action: Favorable refer to committee Codes        
Glick
Aye
Simpson
Nay
Colton
Aye
Smullen
Nay
Otis
Aye
Tague
Nay
Williams
Aye
Manktelow
Nay
Barrett
Aye
Brown
Aye
Carroll
Aye
Lemondes
Nay
Epstein
Aye
Slater
Aye
McMahon
Aye
Bailey
Nay
Burdick
Aye
Sempolinski
Nay
Lunsford
Aye
Kelles
Excused
Gonzalez-Rojas
Aye
Septimo
Aye
Lee
Aye
Levenberg
Aye
Simone
Aye
Anderson
Aye
Conrad
Aye
Lasher
Excused
Schiavoni
Aye
Kassay
Aye

Committee:CODES   Chair:Dinowitz      
DATE:06/05/2025AYE/NAY:15/6  Action: Favorable refer to committee Rules        
Dinowitz
Aye
Morinello
Nay
Cook
Aye
Reilly
Nay
Lavine
Aye
Mikulin
Nay
Weprin
Aye
Tannousis
Nay
Hevesi
Aye
Angelino
Nay
Seawright
Aye
Molitor
Nay
Rosenthal
Aye
Walker
Aye
Vanel
Excused
Cruz
Aye
Epstein
Aye
Bores
Aye
Reyes
Aye
Lasher
Aye
Romero
Aye
Alvarez
Aye

Committee:CODES   Chair:Dinowitz      
DATE:03/17/2026AYE/NAY:14/6  Action: Favorable         
Dinowitz
Aye
Morinello
Nay
Cook
Excused
Reilly
Nay
Lavine
Aye
Mikulin
Nay
Weprin
Aye
Tannousis
Nay
Hevesi
Aye
Angelino
Nay
Seawright
Aye
Molitor
Nay
Rosenthal
Aye
Walker
Aye
Vanel
Aye
Cruz
Aye
Bores
Excused
Reyes
Aye
Cunningham
Aye
Romero
Aye
Alvarez
Aye
Taylor
Aye

A05850 Floor Votes:

A05850 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
 submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)



 
BILL NUMBER: A5850REVISED 6/5/25
 
SPONSOR: Glick

 
TITLE OF BILL:
 
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting the participation of certain animals in traveling animal
acts
 
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
 
The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the use of certain animals in
traveling animal acts.
 
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
 
Section one prohibits the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
from issuing permits or licenses that would authorize the exhibition of
covered animals in traveling acts. Covered animals are cats that are not
domestic cats, kangaroos, wallabys, bears, and non-human primates.
 
Section two sets an effective date.
 
 
JUSTIFICATION:
 
Traveling wildlife acts bring the public into dangerous proximity to
powerful and unpredictable wild animals. Animal trainers have been
attacked, and sometimes killed, in front of audiences. At the Saratoga
County Fair in 2017, a grizzly bear clawed a handler's face during an
exhibition and in 2006, an adult tiger clawed a 4-year-old boy at the
same fair, resulting in 14 stitches on the child's head.  In 2004, a
450-pound tiger escaped from a circus resulting in traffic accidents on
the Jackie Robinson Parkway in Queens before the animal was captured.
 
In 2017, New York State enacted legislation prohibiting the use of
elephants in entertainment acts, Including circuses, carnivals, parades,
or trade shows. In 2014, New York prohibited human contact with tigers,
lions, or any other big cats. Additionally, NYSDEC Issued permits
prohibit public contact with endangered or threatened wildlife at fairs
and circuses. By population, more than half the state already prohibits
wild animals In traveling shows, including New York City, Suffolk Coun-
ty, Westchester County, East Hampton, Southampton, Greenburgh, Wallkill,
and Ulysses.
 
The traveling act environment Is far removed from a wild animal's
natural habitat. As the public becomes more aware of the need to protect
endangered and threatened species, the presence of such animals in,
these acts has become difficult to justify. lids bill would prohibit the
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation from issuing permits or
licenses that would authorize non-human primates, bears, kangaroos,
wallabies, and cats to appear, in traveling acts. This bill in no way
prevents or restricts the showing of agricultural or domestic animals.
 
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2017-18 A.8157-A passed assembly
 
2019-20 A.3673 ordered to third reading cal.151
 
2021-22: A.5542 ordered to third reading cal.179
 
2023-24: A.4005 Reported referred to rules
 
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
 
None.
 
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect December 31, 2026.

A05850 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          5850
 
                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    February 24, 2025
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  GLICK,  BORES, SIMONE, LEE, COLTON, BURDICK,
          ROSENTHAL, EPSTEIN, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, DINOWITZ,  SIMON,  STECK,  DAVILA,
          SHIMSKY,  McDONOUGH, PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Environmental Conservation
 
        AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
          prohibiting  the  participation of certain animals in traveling animal
          acts
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section  1.  The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
     2  new section 11-0541 to read as follows:
     3  § 11-0541. Traveling animal acts.
     4    1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person  shall  allow
     5  for the participation of a covered animal in a traveling animal act.
     6    2.  The department shall not issue a permit or license, including, but
     7  not limited to, an education or exhibition permit or  an  endangered  or
     8  threatened  species  license that would allow for the participation of a
     9  covered animal in a traveling animal act.
    10    3. This section shall not apply to a performance that takes place at a
    11  non-mobile, permanent institution or other fixed facility.
    12    4. For the purposes of this section, the following  terms  shall  have
    13  the following meanings:
    14    (a)  "Covered animal" shall mean any of the following animals, includ-
    15  ing hybrids thereof:
    16    (i) Felidae, but excluding domestic cats;
    17    (ii) Kangaroo;
    18    (iii) Non-human primate;
    19    (iv) Ursidae; and
    20    (v) Wallaby.
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03846-02-5
        A. 5850                             2
 
     1    (b) "Mobile or traveling housing facility" shall mean  a  transporting
     2  vehicle  such  as a truck, trailer, or railway car, used to transport or
     3  house animals while traveling for exhibition or other performance.
     4    (c) "Performance" shall mean any exhibition or public showing, presen-
     5  tation, display, exposition, fair, animal act, circus, ride, trade show,
     6  petting  zoo,  carnival,  parade,  race, or similar undertaking in which
     7  covered animals are required to perform tricks, give rides,  or  partic-
     8  ipate  as accompaniments for the entertainment, amusement, or benefit of
     9  a live audience.
    10    (d) "Traveling animal act"  shall  mean  any  performance  of  covered
    11  animals  where  such  animals  are  transported  to,  from,  or  between
    12  locations for the purpose of such performance, in a mobile or  traveling
    13  housing facility.
    14    5.  A violation of this section shall be punishable by a civil penalty
    15  of not more than one thousand dollars.
    16    § 2. This act shall take effect December 31, 2026.