What's happening
This bill prohibits issuing permits for using wild animals in circuses in New York, with exceptions for accredited zoos and wildlife sanctuaries.
Why it matters
Reduces potential animal welfare violations. by limiting circuses’ ability to use wild animals—who often face stressful and unnatural conditions—thereby prioritizing animal health and ethical treatment.
Closes regulatory loopholes. by making clear that state permits for circuses cannot be issued even if a federal USDA license exists, ensuring stronger state-level oversight.
Exempts reputable institutions. such as accredited zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, allowing them to continue educational and conservation work with wild animals, while targeting only entertainment-based exploitation.
Signals a cultural shift. in how society values animal welfare, potentially influencing public perception and future legislation around the use of animals in live entertainment.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Wild Animals in Circuses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.104
- Rules report cal.104
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Print number 8157a
- Amend (t) and recommit to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Reported referred to rules
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Wild Animals in Circuses
In Senate Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Phil Boyle
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8157--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 31, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, L. ROSENTHAL, GLICK, COLTON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation -recommitted to the Committee on Environmental Conservation in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting the issuance of permits authorizing the use of wild animals in circuses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new section 11-0541 to read as follows: § 11-0541. Prohibition on the issuance of permits authorizing the use of
wild animals in circuses.
1. The department shall not issue a permit or license, including, but not limited to, an education or exhibition permit or an endangered or threatened species license, authorizing the exhibition of a wild animal in a circus, notwithstanding a valid United States department of agriculture license.
2. Such a prohibition shall not apply to:
a. an accredited zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums;
b. a wildlife sanctuary.
§ 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2021.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11926-03-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.