PRINTER'S NO. 942
No. 861 Session of 1987
INTRODUCED BY DISTLER, BOWSER, BELFANTI, CARLSON, BUNT, CAWLEY,
GEIST, JADLOWIEC AND STABACK, MARCH 17, 1987
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAME AND FISHERIES, MARCH 17, 1987
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, authorizing and regulating reptile sacking
3 contests.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 30 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
7 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
8 § 2909. Reptile sacking contests.
9 (a) General rule.--Organized reptile hunts may include
10 sacking contests under the following conditions:
11 (1) The sponsor and the participants have procured all
12 permits required by the commission.
13 (2) The hunt is conducted in the months of June, July
14 and August, unless otherwise permitted by the executive
15 director.
16 (3) All reptiles caught in the sacking contest are
17 handled in such manner as to prevent injury to the reptiles,
18 to participants in the contest and to the spectators. This
1 shall not be construed to prohibit free handling of reptiles.
2 The sacking of both poisonous and nonpoisonous reptiles shall
3 be permitted.
4 (4) Each reptile caught in the contest is returned to
5 the approximate location at which it was caught within 48
6 hours of the time of capture. Primary responsibility for
7 return of the reptiles shall be upon the participant, but
8 shall also be upon the sponsor, under the supervision of the
9 commission.
10 (b) Penalties.--Any person who sponsors or participates in a
11 reptile sacking contest in violation of this section commits a
12 summary offense of the first degree. Each reptile which is
13 captured or possessed in violation of this section shall
14 constitute a separate offense. In addition to any penalty
15 imposed, any person convicted of a violation under this section
16 shall be ineligible for a permit to sponsor or participate in an
17 organized reptile hunt for a period of five years.
18 (c) Definitions.--As used in this section the following
19 words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
20 subsection:
21 "Hunt." The pursuit of reptiles in an effort to capture such
22 creatures.
23 "Organized reptile and amphibian hunt." A hunt for reptiles
24 involving two or more individuals acting in concert to seek,
25 pursue and capture Commonwealth reptiles at an event where
26 reptiles are hunted on a comparative basis. An event may be
27 considered an organized reptile hunt when one or more of the
28 following factors are present:
29 (1) The event is sponsored or promoted by a person or
30 organization.
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1 (2) The event involves the award of trophies, prizes or
2 other recognition to persons or groups for capturing
3 reptiles.
4 (3) The sponsors of the events or others publicize the
5 event to encourage attendance of spectators.
6 (4) The sponsors or organizers of the event have their
7 own rules for the conduct of the hunt.
8 "Sacking contest." A competition or procedure where, through
9 the free handling of reptiles, participants endeavor to be first
10 to place reptiles in a sack, bag or similar container in a timed
11 event.
12 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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