S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5947
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 25, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
prohibiting certain wildlife and fish from being imported into the
state; and to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to
live animal markets
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
new section 11-1710 to read as follows:
§ 11-1710. PROHIBITED IMPORT OF WILDLIFE AND FISH.
1. (A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE A LIST BY RULE OR REGULATION,
NO LATER THAN DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, OF WILD-
LIFE AND FISH THAT SHALL NOT BE IMPORTED OR TRANSPORTED INTO THIS STATE.
THE LIST ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL INCLUDE ALL BAT,
RODENT AND PRIMATE SPECIES, UNLESS AND UNTIL A FINDING IS MADE PURSUANT
TO PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION THAT THE IMPORTATION RESTRICTION ON
A SPECIES IS NOT NECESSARY.
(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADD A WILDLIFE ANIMAL OR FISH TO THE LIST
CREATED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION IF IT DETERMINES
THAT PROHIBITING THE IMPORTATION OR TRANSPORTATION OF SUCH WILDLIFE OR
FISH INTO THE STATE IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY,
NATIVE WILDLIFE OR FISH, OR AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS OF THE STATE.
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REMOVE A WILDLIFE ANIMAL OR FISH FROM THE
LIST CREATED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION IF IT DETER-
MINES THAT PROHIBITING THE IMPORTATION OR TRANSPORTATION OF SUCH WILD-
LIFE OR FISH INTO THE STATE IS NOT NECESSARY TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH
AND SAFETY, NATIVE WILDLIFE OR FISH, OR AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS OF THE
STATE.
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PUBLISH THE LIST CREATED PURSUANT TO PARA-
GRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION ON ITS WEBSITE.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06739-01-5
A. 5947 2
2. (A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL IMMEDIATELY SUSPEND ANY EXISTING LICENSE
OR AUTHORIZATION, AND SHALL NOT ISSUE ANY NEW LICENSE OR AUTHORIZATION,
FOR THE IMPORT OF A SPECIES OF WILDLIFE OR FISH INTO THE STATE IF ANY
STATE AGENCY MAKES A WRITTEN FINDING THAT SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SUGGESTS
THAT ZOONOTIC TRANSMISSION FROM SUCH SPECIES, OR A CLOSELY RELATED
SPECIES WITHIN THE SAME FAMILY, COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A NOVEL, OR NOT
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, READILY TRANSMISSIBLE HUMAN DISEASE.
(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL TAKE ANY ADDITIONAL MEASURES PURSUANT TO ITS
AUTHORITY UNDER THIS CHAPTER RELATED TO WILDLIFE AND FISH IT SHALL DEEM
NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH FROM THE TRANSMISSION OF A
ZOONOTIC DISEASE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A HUMAN DISEASE
OUTBREAK OR EPIDEMIC.
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT AUTHORIZE THE IMPORTATION OF ANY INDIVID-
UAL WILDLIFE OR FISH SPECIES THAT COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ZOONOTIC
TRANSMISSION OF A READILY TRANSMISSIBLE HUMAN DISEASE UNTIL A PROTOCOL
FOR ROBUST TESTING, EFFECTIVE TREATMENT, OR QUARANTINE, AS APPROPRIATE
AND SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (D) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, IS IMPLEMENTED TO
ENSURE THAT ALL INDIVIDUAL ANIMAL SPECIES SUBJECT TO A LICENSE OR
AUTHORIZATION ARE NOT CARRIERS.
(D) IN IMPLEMENTING THIS SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL CONSULT WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS,
AND ANY OTHER EXPERTS THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEEM NECESSARY, TO ENSURE
THAT SUCH IMPLEMENTATION IS INFORMED BY THE BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE.
3. (A) ANY UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE, GOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH AGENCY, OR OTHER
BONA FIDE SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTION LOCATED IN THIS STATE MAY SUBMIT A
WRITTEN APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR EXEMPTION FROM ANY PROHIBITED
IMPORT OR TRANSPORT OF WILDLIFE OR FISH UNDER THIS SECTION OR FROM ANY
RULE OR REGULATION PROMULGATED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. THE DEPARTMENT
SHALL REVIEW SUCH APPLICATIONS AND MAY GRANT SUCH EXEMPTIONS IN ITS
DISCRETION ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. FOR ANY WILDLIFE OR FISH THAT COULD
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ZOONOTIC TRANSMISSION OF A READILY TRANSMISSIBLE
HUMAN DISEASE, AS DETERMINED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO DEMONSTRATE
BIOSAFETY EQUIPMENT AND PROTOCOLS NECESSARY TO SAFELY HANDLE SUCH WILD-
LIFE OR FISH.
(B) ANY ZOO OR OTHER FACILITY LOCATED IN THIS STATE MAY SUBMIT A WRIT-
TEN APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR EXEMPTION FROM ANY PROHIBITED
IMPORT OR TRANSPORT OF WILDLIFE OR FISH UNDER THIS SECTION OR FROM ANY
RULE OR REGULATION PROMULGATED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. THE DEPARTMENT
SHALL REVIEW SUCH APPLICATIONS AND MAY GRANT SUCH EXEMPTIONS IN ITS
DISCRETION ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. FOR ANY WILDLIFE OR FISH THAT COULD
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ZOONOTIC TRANSMISSION OF A READILY TRANSMISSIBLE
HUMAN DISEASE, AS DETERMINED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REQUIRE THE APPLICANT TO DEMONSTRATE
BIOSAFETY EQUIPMENT AND PROTOCOLS NECESSARY TO SAFELY HANDLE SUCH WILD-
LIFE OR FISH.
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL CREATE AND MAKE AVAILABLE ON ITS WEBSITE
APPLICATION FORMS TO BE USED FOR SUBMISSION BY APPLICANTS CONSISTENT
WITH PARAGRAPHS (A) AND (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE PERMITTED TO REQUIRE ANY FURTHER INFORMA-
TION TO BE SUBMITTED BY APPLICANTS UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION THAT IT SHALL
DEEM NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION. THE DEPARTMENT
SHALL BE PERMITTED TO CONDUCT ANY INSPECTIONS AS PART OF THE APPLICATION
PROCESS THAT IT SHALL DEEM NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE PURPOSES OF THIS
SECTION.
A. 5947 3
(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ESTABLISH FEES FOR THE
ACCEPTANCE AND PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
§ 2. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new arti-
cle 22-A to read as follows:
ARTICLE 22-A
LIVE ANIMAL MARKETS
SECTION 270. DEFINITIONS.
271. REGULATIONS.
272. OPERATION OF LIVE ANIMAL MARKETS.
§ 270. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING
TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
1. "ANIMAL" MEANS ANY LIVING CREATURE EXCEPT A HUMAN BEING.
2. "LIVE ANIMAL MARKET" MEANS A RETAIL FOOD MARKET WHERE, IN THE REGU-
LAR COURSE OF BUSINESS, ANIMALS ARE STORED ALIVE AND SOLD TO CONSUMERS
FOR THE PURPOSE OF HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
3. "TAXON" MEANS A TAXONOMIC GROUP, SUCH AS A SPECIES, FAMILY, OR
CLASS.
§ 271. REGULATIONS. 1. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS
GOVERNING THE STORING AND SALE OF ANIMALS FOR LIVE ANIMAL MARKETS.
2. REGULATIONS PROMULGATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION
SHALL IDENTIFY A LIST OF PROHIBITED ANIMALS KNOWN OR LIKELY TO BE AN
INVASIVE SPECIES OR OF A TAXON KNOWN OR LIKELY TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
ZOONOTIC TRANSMISSION OF DISEASE.
§ 272. OPERATION OF LIVE ANIMAL MARKETS. 1. EVERY PERSON OR BUSINESS
THAT OPERATES A LIVE ANIMAL MARKET SHALL ENSURE THAT:
(A) NO ANIMAL SHALL BE DISMEMBERED, FLAYED, CUT OPEN, OR HAVE ITS
SKIN, SCALES, FEATHERS, OR SHELL REMOVED WHILE SUCH ANIMAL IS STILL
ALIVE;
(B) NO LIVE ANIMAL SHALL BE CONFINED, HELD, OR DISPLAYED IN A MANNER
THAT RESULTS, OR IS LIKELY TO RESULT, IN INJURY, STARVATION, DEHY-
DRATION, OR SUFFOCATION OF SUCH ANIMAL;
(C) NO ANIMAL AT SUCH LIVE ANIMAL MARKET IS AN INVASIVE SPECIES OR OF
A TAXON KNOWN OR LIKELY TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ZOONOTIC TRANSMISSION OF A
DISEASE, AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
PURSUANT TO SECTION 11-1710 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW;
(D) WILDLIFE SPECIES SHALL NOT BE CAGED, HANDLED, OR TRANSPORTED WITH
LIVESTOCK OR DOMESTIC ANIMALS, AND SHALL NOT BE SOLD IN SPACES NEAR
LIVESTOCK OR DOMESTIC ANIMALS;
(E) WILDLIFE SPECIES SHOWING SIGNS OF ILLNESS SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED
TO BE SOLD IN LIVE ANIMAL MARKETS; AND
(F) NO BAT, RODENT OR PRIMATE SPECIES SHALL BE SOLD IN LIVE ANIMAL
MARKETS.
2. ANY PERSON WHO VIOLATES A PROVISION OF THIS SECTION:
(A) FOR A FIRST VIOLATION, SHALL BE ISSUED A WRITTEN WARNING IN A
LANGUAGE THAT IS UNDERSTOOD BY THE PERSON RECEIVING SUCH WARNING; AND
(B) FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION, SUCH PERSON SHALL BE GUILTY OF A
CLASS A MISDEMEANOR, PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF AT LEAST TWO HUNDRED FIFTY
DOLLARS, BUT NOT EXCEEDING ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment
and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
completed on or before such effective date.