STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          5542
 
                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    February 19, 2021
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, L. ROSENTHAL, GLICK, COLTON, GOTT-
          FRIED, SCHMITT, HEVESI, EPSTEIN, LAVINE, PAULIN, QUART --  Multi-Spon-
          sored 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 the issuance  of  permits  authorizing  the  use  of  wild
          animals in circuses or traveling animal acts
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by  adding  a
     2  new section 11-0541 to read as follows:
     3  § 11-0541. Prohibition on the issuance of permits authorizing the use of
     4               wild animals in circuses or traveling animal acts.
     5    1.  The department shall not issue a permit or license, including, but
     6  not limited to, an education or exhibition permit or  an  endangered  or
     7  threatened  species license, authorizing the exhibition of a wild animal
     8  in a circus notwithstanding a valid United States department of agricul-
     9  ture license, or a traveling animal act.
    10    2. Such a prohibition shall not apply to:
    11    a. a facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums;
    12    b. a wildlife sanctuary.
    13    3. For the purposes of this section the following terms shall have the
    14  following meanings:
    15    (a) "traveling animal act" shall mean any performance of wild  animals
    16  where  such  animals  are transported to, from, or between locations for
    17  the purpose of such performance; and
    18    (b) "performance" shall mean any exhibition or public showing in which
    19  wild animals are required to perform tricks, give rides, or  participate
    20  as accompaniments for the entertainment, amusement, or benefit of a live
    21  audience.
    22    § 2. This act shall take effect December 31, 2022.
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08321-02-1