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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 3, 2020 12:13 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Lisa M. Boscola |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Increased Penalty for Killing Bald or Golden Eagles |
| In the near future, I intend to reintroduce legislation that will increase the fine and raise the penalty for killing or unlawfully taking a bald or golden eagle in Pennsylvania. I invite you to join me as a co-sponsor. Over time, the eagle has been the focus of one of the greatest conservation efforts of our state and nation’s history. Their population was threatened into near extinction by poaching, hunting, pesticide use, habitat destruction and other dangers throughout the 20th century. While regulations and protective efforts have proved to be successful for the population’s rebound in recent decades, and they have officially been removed from the Commonwealth's threatened species list, they still need to be further protected from unlawful takings. My legislation will deter the killing of these emblematic creatures in Pennsylvania. The bill amends Title 34 to increase the fine from $200 to $2,000 in each instance of someone killing an eagle. This fine per bird would be designated towards replacement costs here in the Commonwealth. The Federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act would continue to apply. This change is consistent with a rulemaking adopted by the PA Game Commission last fall. The bill also increases the grading of an offense for killing or unlawfully taking an eagle. This is a reintroduction of SB 377 from the previous session. Co-sponsors included: Brewster, Costa, Browne, Mensch, Santarsiero, Schwank and Vogel. |
Introduced as SB337