Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MILA M. JASEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits taking of fur-bearing small game at family entertainment events, and organizing, sponsoring, promoting, conducting, or participating in such events
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the taking of certain small game at family entertainment events, and supplementing Title 23 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Family entertainment event" means any publicly organized activity or day organized for families, established, organized, or coordinated by an association, club, group, or organization and open to the public where children, family members, or friends are encouraged to take fur-bearing small game as entertainment or as part of a contest, game, or competition between the participating children, family members, or friends.
"Fur-bearing small game" means any small fur-bearing animal the hunting of which is regulated by the Division of Fish and Wildlife as small game, or any part, product, or offspring, or the dead body or parts, thereof, including, but not necessarily limited to, a beaver, chipmunk, fox, groundhog, marmot, rabbit, squirrel, or vole.
"Person" means any individual, association, estate, firm, joint venture, limited liability corporation organization, partnership, receiver, syndicate, trust, or other legal entity.
"Take" means to hunt, capture, kill, trap, catch, net, possess, or collect, or to attempt to hunt, capture, kill, trap, catch, net, possess, or collect, wildlife.
2. a. It shall be unlawful to take fur-bearing small game at a family entertainment event. It shall be unlawful for any person to organize, sponsor, promote, conduct, or participate in a family entertainment event at which the participants take fur-bearing small game.
b. A person who violates this section shall be guilty of a disorderly persons offense.
c. The provisions of this section shall be enforced by municipal police officers, the State Police, and law enforcement officers in the Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Division of Parks and Forestry in the Department of Environmental Protection.
d. This section shall not be construed to restrict lawful hunting by an individual or members of a family. This section shall not apply to the taking of fur-bearing small game at a family reunion or any gathering of one or more families that is a social event organized by one or more family members involved, which is not generally open to participation from the public and is not organized for an association, club, group, or organization.
3. This act shall take effect immediately
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits the taking of fur-bearing small game at a family entertainment event, and organizing, sponsoring, promoting, conducting, or participating in a family entertainment event at which the participants take fur-bearing small game. The bill defines:
1) "Family entertainment event" as any public organized activity or day organized for families, established, organized, or coordinated by an association, club, group, or organization and open to the public where children, family members, or friends are encouraged to take fur-bearing small game as entertainment or as part of a contest, game, or competition between the participating children, family members, or friends; and
2) "Fur-bearing small game" as any small fur-bearing animal the hunting of which is regulated by the Division of Fish and Wildlife as small game, or any part, product, or offspring, or the dead body or parts, thereof, including, but not necessarily limited to, a beaver, chipmunk, fox, groundhog, marmot, rabbit, squirrel, or vole.
The bill provides that a person who violates the prohibitions in the bill would be guilty of a disorderly persons offense, which is punishable with a penalty of up to six months of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. The bill directs municipal police officers, the State Police, and law enforcement officers in the Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Division of Parks and Forestry in the Department of Environmental Protection to enforce the bill’s provisions. Finally, the bill specifies that it would not restrict lawful hunting by an individual or members of a family; or apply to the taking of fur-bearing small game at a family reunion or any gathering of one or more families that is a social event organized by one or more family members involved, which is not generally open to participation from the public and is not organized for an association, club, group, or organization.