S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6581--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 6, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee  on  Environmental  Conservation  --  committee  discharged,  bill
   amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
   tee
 
 AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
   excluding  amphibians  and reptiles from the definition of small game;
   and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Paragraph  c  of  subdivision 2 of section 11-0103 of the
 environmental conservation law, as amended by chapter 706 of the laws of
 2005, is amended to read as follows:
   c. "Small game" means black, gray and fox squirrels,  European  hares,
 varying  hares,  cottontail  rabbits,  [native frogs] BULLFROGS, [native
 salamanders, native] COMMON SNAPPING turtles, [native  lizards,]  native
 snakes,  coyotes,  red  fox (Vulpes vulpes) and gray fox (Urocyon ciner-
 eoargenteus) except captive bred red fox or gray fox, raccoon,  opossum,
 or  weasel,  skunk,  bobcat,  lynx,  muskrat,  mink, except mink born in
 captivity, fisher, otter, beaver, sable and marten but does not  include
 coydogs.
   §  2.  Subdivision 4 of section 11-0701 of the environmental conserva-
 tion law, as amended by section 1-a of part R of chapter 58 of the  laws
 of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   4.  A  fishing  license  entitles  the holder to take fish by angling,
 spearing, hooking, longbow and  tipups,  to  take  [frogs  by  spearing,
 catching  with  the  hands  or by use of a club or hook,] BULLFROGS IN A
 MANNER DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN REGULATION and to take bait  fish
 for personal use, as provided in titles 9 and 13 of this article, except
 that such license shall not entitle the holder to take migratory fish of
 the sea or to take fish from the waters of the marine district.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10326-06-5
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   §  3.  Paragraph a of subdivision 6 of section 11-0703 of the environ-
 mental conservation law, as amended by section 2 of part R of chapter 58
 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  Except  as provided in section 11-0707 and section 11-0709 of this
 title, no person shall (1) hunt wildlife unless such person holds and is
 entitled to exercise the privileges  of  a  hunting  license;  (2)  hunt
 antlerless  deer  in a special open season therefor pursuant to subdivi-
 sion 6 of section 11-0903 of this article unless such person  holds  and
 is  entitled to exercise the privileges of and has on [his or her] THEIR
 person while so hunting  a  hunting  license,  bowhunting  privilege  or
 muzzle-loading  privilege,  and  a  special antlerless deer license; (3)
 take fish or [frogs] BULLFROGS in the manner described in subdivision  4
 of section 11-0701 of this title unless such person is entitled to exer-
 cise  the privileges of a fishing license; (4) trap wildlife unless such
 person holds a trapping license.
   § 4. Paragraph c of subdivision 1 of section 11-0707 of  the  environ-
 mental  conservation law, as amended by chapter 721 of the laws of 1975,
 is amended to read as follows:
   c. to take fish and [frogs] BULLFROGS, except that they may  not  take
 bait  fish  by  net or trap, all as if they held the licenses defined in
 section 11-0701 and required by SUBDIVISION  SIX  OF  section  11-0703[,
 subdivision 6].
   §  5.  Paragraph c of subdivision 3 of section 11-0901 of the environ-
 mental conservation law, as amended by section 19 of part EE of  chapter
 55 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   c.  Wild  small game and wild upland game birds shall be taken only by
 longbow or gun, or by the use of raptors as provided in title 10 of this
 article, except that:
   (1) skunk, raccoon, bobcat, coyote, fox, mink and muskrat may be taken
 in any manner not prohibited in this section or in title 11 of [the Fish
 and Wildlife Law] THIS ARTICLE; AND
   (2) [frogs] BULLFROGS may [also] be taken [by spearing, catching  with
 the  hands, or by the use of a club or hook] IN ANY MANNER DETERMINED BY
 THE DEPARTMENT IN REGULATION; and
   (3) crossbows may be used but only by licensees who are fourteen years
 of age or older.
   § 6. Paragraph f of subdivision 2 of section 11-0903 of  the  environ-
 mental conservation law, as added by chapter 706 of the laws of 2005, is
 amended to read as follows:
   f.  [frogs, salamanders] BULLFROGS, COMMON SNAPPING turtles, [lizards]
 and snakes.
   § 7. Paragraphs t and u of subdivision 2 of  section  11-0905  of  the
 environmental conservation law are REPEALED.
   §  8.  Paragraph i of subdivision 2 of section 11-0905 of the environ-
 mental conservation law, as amended by chapter 256 of the laws of  1999,
 is amended to read as follows:
   i. [Frogs] BULLFROGS   Fixed annually        Fixed annually
                          by regulation         by regulation
 
   §  9.  Paragraph c of subdivision 6 of section 11-0103 of the environ-
 mental conservation law, as amended by chapter 706 of the laws of  2005,
 is amended and two new paragraphs f and g are added to read as follows:
   c.  "Protected  wildlife"  means  wild  game,  protected  wild  birds,
 protected insects, WILD REPTILES, WILD AMPHIBIANS,  species  of  special
 concern  and endangered and threatened species of wildlife designated by
 the department pursuant to section  11-0535  of  this  article,  species
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 listed in section 11-0536 of this article and species protected pursuant
 to section 11-0311 of this article.
    F.  "WILD  REPTILES" MEANS ALL NATIVE LIZARDS AND TURTLES, OTHER THAN
 COMMON SNAPPING TURTLES, EXISTING IN A WILD STATE.
   G. "WILD AMPHIBIANS" MEANS ALL NATIVE TOADS, SALAMANDERS,  NEWTS,  AND
 FROGS, OTHER THAN BULLFROGS, EXISTING IN A WILD STATE.
   § 10. This act shall take effect immediately.