What's happening
This bill increases penalties for violations involving endangered species, illegal ivory, and rhinoceros horns, and requires public awareness efforts.
Why it matters
Significantly increases maximum financial penalties. for illegal activities involving endangered and threatened species, as well as illicit ivory and rhinoceros horn trade, making violations much more costly and potentially serving as a stronger deterrent.
Raises per-animal/per-item fines. , meaning that individuals or organizations caught with multiple illegal items or animals will face sharply higher cumulative penalties, increasing the consequences for large-scale offenders.
Mandates active public education. by the Department of Environmental Conservation, requiring the state to inform citizens about the importance of protecting endangered species and to publicize the laws involved—potentially leading to greater public awareness and compliance.
Reflects a broader policy shift. toward stricter wildlife protection and anti-trafficking measures, signaling both to the public and to potential violators that New York is taking wildlife crime more seriously.
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Who cares
Department of Environmental Conservation
The bill would increase penalties under specified wildlife protections and require the commissioner to publicize laws protecting endangered and threatened species and the importance of protecting them.
Wildlife dealers and sellers of ivory articles or rhinoceros horns
Covered violations would carry penalties of up to $4,000, plus up to $700 for each animal or part involved.
People handling species covered by department regulations
Violations of regulations issued under section 11-0535 subdivision three would carry penalties of up to $2,000, plus up to $400 for each animal or part involved.
Endangered and threatened species advocates
The bill would strengthen financial penalties for covered violations and require public education about species protection.
Headline styles
Increase Penalties for Wildlife Crimes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–1
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1027
- 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.
Increase Wildlife Trafficking Fines
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Steven Englebright
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5478
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 2, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to increasing certain penalties relating to endangered and special species, species of special concern and illegal ivory articles and rhinoceros horns
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 13 of section 71-0925 of the environmental conservation law, as amended by chapter 706 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
13. If the violation was an act prohibited by subdivision two of section 11-0535 or by section 11-0536 of this chapter, or by any lawful rule or regulation of the department promulgated pursuant thereto, not more than [two] four thousand dollars, and an additional penalty of not more than [three] seven hundred [fifty] dollars for each fish, shellfish, crustacea, wildlife or part thereof involved in the violation. If the violation was an act prohibited by any regulation of the department promulgated pursuant to subdivision three of section 11-0535 of this chapter, then such penalty shall be not more than [one] two thousand dollars, and an additional penalty of not more than [two] four hundred dollars for each fish, shellfish, crustacea, wildlife or part thereof involved in the violation.
§ 2. The commissioner of environmental conservation shall inform the public of the importance of protecting endangered and threatened species. Such commissioner shall also publicize the laws protecting such species.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10226-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to increasing certain penalties relating to endangered and special species, species of special concern and illegal ivory articles and rhinoceros horns
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to increase the penalties for violations involving endangered and threatened species.
Summary of provisions
This bill would:
*increase the endangered or threatened species civil penalty; and
*require the Department of Environmental Conservation to:
-increase public awareness regarding the importance of protecting endan- gered and threatened species; and
-publicize laws protecting such species.
Justification
Not only do endangered and threatened species add beauty and wonder to the natural world, but they provide diversity necessary for the mainte- nance for our ecosystems. This bill would help increase awareness of the need for protections of such species and provide additional deterrents to their harm.
Prior legislative history
2015-16: A.10474 -delivered to senate 2017-18: A.1492-A -returned to senate
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.