2024 -- S 2297

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LC004826

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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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

     Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 20-16-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-16 entitled "Furbearing

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Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     20-16-1. Furbearers protected.

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     (a) No person shall hunt, pursue, shoot, or trap, or attempt so to do, the following furbearing

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mammals in this state, except in accordance with rules and regulations governing seasons, bag

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limits, and methods of taking adopted by the director pursuant to § 20-1-12.

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     (b) For the purposes of this chapter, “furbearers” shall be considered to include:

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     (1) Carnivores (Order Carnivora):

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     (i) Family Canidae, genus Canis (coyote); genus Urocyon (gray fox); genus Vulpes

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(red fox).

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     (ii) Family Procyonidae, genus Procyon (raccoon).

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     (iii) Family Mustelidae, genus Martes (fisher); genus Mustela, M. erminea (ermine),

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M. frenata (longtailed weasel), M. vison (mink), genus Mephitis (striped skunk), genus Lutra

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(river otter).

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     (iv) Family Felidae, genus Lynx (bobcat).

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     (2) Rodents (Order Rodentia):

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     (i) Family Castoridae, genus Castor (beaver).

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     (ii) Family Sciuridae, genus Sciurus (gray squirrel).

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     (iii) Family Cricetidae, genus Ondatra (muskrat).

 

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     (3) Marsupials (Order Marsupialia): Family Didelphidae, genus Didelphis (opossum).

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     (4) Rabbits and hares (Order Lagomorpha): Family Leporidae, genus Sylvilagus

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(Eastern and New England cottontail), genus Lepus (snowshoe hare).

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     (b) The department of environmental management shall promulgate, by rule, a list of

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"furbearers" for the purpose of this chapter.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- FURBEARING ANIMALS

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     This act would delete subsection (b) of this section which lists the furbearing mammals in

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the state. It would require the DEM to promulgate by rule, a list of "furbearers" for this chapter.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC004826

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