Chapter 188
2024 -- S 2297 AS AMENDED
Enacted 06/17/2024

A N   A C T
RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- FURBEARING ANIMALS

Introduced By: Senators Tikoian, Raptakis, Quezada, Ciccone, F. Lombardi, Britto, Sosnowski, Burke, McKenney, and Rogers

Date Introduced: February 12, 2024

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 20-16-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-16 entitled "Furbearing
Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     20-16-1. Furbearers protected.
     (a) No person shall hunt, pursue, shoot, or trap, or attempt so to do, the following furbearing
mammals in this state, except in accordance with rules and regulations governing seasons, bag
limits, and methods of taking adopted by the director pursuant to § 20-1-12.
     (b) For the purposes of this chapter, “furbearers” shall be considered to include:
     (1) Carnivores (Order Carnivora):
     (i) Family Canidae, genus Canis (coyote); genus Urocyon (gray fox); genus Vulpes (red
fox).
     (ii) Family Procyonidae, genus Procyon (raccoon).
     (iii) Family Mustelidae, genus Martes (fisher); genus Mustela, M. erminea (ermine), M.
frenata (longtailed weasel), M. vison (mink),; genus Mephitis (striped skunk),; genus Lutra (river
otter).
     (iv) Family Felidae, genus Lynx (bobcat).
     (2) Rodents (Order Rodentia):
     (i) Family Castoridae, genus Castor (beaver).
     (ii) Family Sciuridae, genus Sciurus (gray squirrel).
     (iii) Family Cricetidae, genus Ondatra (muskrat).
     (3) Marsupials (Order Marsupialia): Family Didelphidae, genus Didelphis (opossum).
     (4) Rabbits and hares (Order Lagomorpha): Family Leporidae, genus Sylvilagus (Eastern
and New England cottontail),; genus Lepus (snowshoe hare).
     (c) The department of environmental management shall promulgate, by rule, a list of
"furbearers" for the purpose of this chapter.
     SECTION 2. Section 20-16-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-16 entitled "Furbearing
Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     20-16-1. Furbearers protected.
     (a) No person shall hunt, pursue, shoot, or trap, or attempt so to do, the following furbearing
mammals in this state, except in accordance with rules and regulations governing seasons, bag
limits, and methods of taking adopted by the director pursuant to § 20-1-12.
     (b) For the purposes of this chapter, “furbearers” shall be considered to include:
     (1) Carnivores (Order Carnivora):
     (i) Family Canidae, genus Canis (coyote); genus Urocyon (gray fox); genus Vulpes (red
fox).
     (ii) Family Procyonidae, genus Procyon (raccoon).
     (iii) Family Mustelidae, genus Martes (fisher); genus Mustela, M. erminea (ermine), M.
frenata (longtailed weasel), M. vison (mink), genus Mephitis (striped skunk), genus Lutra (river
otter).
     (iv) Family Felidae, genus Lynx (bobcat).
     (2) Rodents (Order Rodentia):
     (i) Family Castoridae, genus Castor (beaver).
     (ii) Family Sciuridae, genus Sciurus (gray squirrel).
     (iii) Family Cricetidae, genus Ondatra (muskrat).
     (3) Marsupials (Order Marsupialia): Family Didelphidae, genus Didelphis (opossum).
     (4) Rabbits and hares (Order Lagomorpha): Family Leporidae, genus Sylvilagus (Eastern
and New England cottontail), genus Lepus (snowshoe hare).
     SECTION 3. Section 1 of this act shall take effect upon passage, and Section 2 of this act
shall take effect on January 15, 2025.
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LC004826
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