S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    518
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 9, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT prohibiting the possession and transport of certain  animals  and
   body  parts  thereof at airports and port facilities owned or operated
   by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. a. As used in this section:
   (1)  "Big  five African species" means the African elephant, Loxodonta
 africana; African leopard, Panthera pardus; African lion, Panthera  leo;
 black  rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis; and white rhinoceros, Ceratotherium
 simum.
   (2) "Priority species" means any species  or  subspecies  of  wildlife
 that: appears on the list of wildlife determined to be endangered by the
 commissioner of the department of environmental conservation pursuant to
 6  NYCRR §182.5(a); appears on any federal list of endangered or threat-
 ened species, or has been proposed to be included on any such  list;  or
 is  a  big  five  African  species. "Priority species" shall include the
 whole animal or any part, product, egg, or offspring of such species, or
 the dead body or  parts  thereof,  excluding  fossils,  whether  or  not
 included in a manufactured product or in a food product.
   b.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of any other law to the contrary,
 priority species shall not be  imported,  exported,  shipped,  received,
 possessed,  processed,  sold,  offered  for  sale, or transported by any
 individual,  firm,  corporation,  association,  or  partnership  at  any
 airport  or port facility owned or operated by the Port Authority of New
 York and New Jersey.
   c. Any Port Authority agent or Port  Authority  police  officer  shall
 have  authority  to  enforce  the  prohibition  in subdivision b of this
 section and, where necessary, to apply for and execute  any  warrant  to
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00736-01-3
 A. 518                              2
              

 
 search  for and seize any priority species and any property or item used
 in connection with a violation of subdivision b of this section.
   d.  Unless  the  activity  is prohibited by federal law, the following
 exceptions and defenses shall apply to the prohibition in subdivision  b
 of this section:
   (1)  the priority species was lawfully located or possessed within the
 state of New York or the state of New Jersey prior to the effective date
 of this act; or
   (2) the priority species is to be made part of a temporary  or  perma-
 nent  collection  at a museum or zoo, or similar educational or research
 facility, provided that the priority species  is  not  thereafter  sold,
 offered for sale, traded, bartered, or distributed to any private party.
   e.  (1)  Any  priority  species  and  any  property  or  item  used in
 connection with a violation of subdivision b of this  section  shall  be
 held pending criminal proceedings in any court of proper jurisdiction.
   (2) A person who violates subdivision b of this section shall be guil-
 ty  of  a class E felony and, notwithstanding the provisions of sections
 70.00 and 80.00 of the penal law of the state of New York to the contra-
 ry, shall be subject to imprisonment not to exceed 18 months and a  fine
 of up to $100,000.
   (3)  Upon  conviction,  or  upon the entry of a judgment restraining a
 person from any activity that is or would be in violation of subdivision
 b of this section, any seized property  shall  be  forfeited,  and  upon
 forfeiture, disposed of in a manner consistent with the best interest of
 the public as determined by the court.
   (4)  Any penalty imposed pursuant to this section shall be in addition
 to any applicable penalty that may be imposed for a violation of article
 11 of the environmental conservation law, 6 NYCRR  Chapter  1,  and  any
 other applicable law, rule or regulation to the contrary.
   §  2.  This  act  shall take effect upon the enactment into law by the
 state of New Jersey of legislation having an identical effect with  this
 act,  but  if  the  state  of New Jersey shall have already enacted such
 legislation, then it shall take effect immediately;  and  provided  that
 the  waterfront  commission  shall  notify the legislative bill drafting
 commission upon the occurrence  of  the  enactment  of  the  legislation
 provided for in section one of this act in order that the commission may
 maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text
 of  laws  of  the  state  of  New  York  in furtherance of effecting the
 provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of  the
 public officers law.