What's happening
This bill revises the criteria for designating vulnerable species and sets an expiration for a related provision.
Why it matters
Narrows the criteria for classifying a species as "vulnerable,". focusing mainly on credible scientific evidence of population decline likely to lead to endangerment or extinction, rather than the broader, more quantitative metrics (like geographic range or population size) previously used. This could make it harder for some species to qualify for protection.
Removes specific, quantitative thresholds. (such as a "30% reduction in population over 10 years" or "fewer than 10,000 mature individuals") from the law, replacing them with more subjective assessments of risk. This shift gives regulators more discretion but may reduce transparency and consistency in how species are protected.
Sets an expiration date for a key provision. of the 2019 law, meaning that section 5 (which may contain important protections or restrictions) will automatically expire and be repealed on January 1, 2021. This could impact ongoing conservation efforts or the enforcement of bans related to vulnerable species.
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Who cares
State environmental regulators
The bill would replace numerical population-decline, range and extinction-risk criteria with a standard focused on declines likely to make a species endangered or threatened in the foreseeable future, while retaining other extinction-related factors.
Wildlife conservation advocates
The bill would remove inferred or suspected population declines as explicit grounds for designation, retaining observed, estimated or projected declines supported by credible scientific evidence.
Sellers of articles made from wildlife
Changes to vulnerable-species designation criteria could affect which species fall under the related law’s prohibition on sales of articles made from vulnerable species.
Headline styles
Update Vulnerable Species Criteria
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.40
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.367
- Substituted for A8963
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 46–15
- Ordered to third reading cal.12
- Referred to rules
- Referred to rules
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.
Tighten Vulnerable Species Criteria
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Steven Englebright
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6933
IN SENATE
January 6, 2020
Introduced by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the required criteria to be designated as a vulnerable species; and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the environmental conservation law relating to designating certain species as vulnerable species and prohibiting the sale of articles made from such vulnerable species, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 11-0535-b of the environmental conservation law, as added by a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the environmental conservation law relating to designating certain species as vulnerable species and prohibiting the sale of articles made from such vulnerable species, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5098 and A. 6600, is amended to read as follows:
(a) On the basis of credible scientific evidence, which may include information contained on the international union for conservation of nature and natural resources red list of threatened species, or other similar data:
(i) the species has an observed, estimated[, inferred,] or projected [or suspected] population [size reduction of thirty percent or more over the last ten years or three generations, whichever is longer] decline that if unreversed, will likely result in the species becoming endangered or threatened within the foreseeable future; or
(ii) [the geographic range of the species is less than eight thousand square miles and the area of occupancy is less than eight hundred square miles, and the species' habitat is severely fragmented or the species is found in fewer than ten locations; or
(iii) there are less than ten thousand mature individuals and the risk of extinction of the species within one hundred years is more than ten percent; or
(iv)] other factors that may cause the species to go extinct if they are not identified and reversed;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10508-02-0
S. 6933 2
§ 2. Section 6 of a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the environmental conservation law relating to designating certain species as vulnerable species and prohibiting the sale of articles made from such vulnerable species, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5098 and A. 6600, is amended to read as follows:
§ 6. This act shall take effect immediately provided that section 5 of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed January 1, 2021.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that section one of this act takes effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the environmental conservation law relating to designating certain species as vulnerable species and prohibiting the sale of articles made from such vulnerable species, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5098 and A. 6600, takes effect.
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 the required criteria to be designated as a vulnerable species; and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the environmental conservation law relating to designating certain species as vulnerable species and prohibiting the sale of articles made from such vulnerable species, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
Purpose
This is a chapter amendment that makes changes to the requirements that allow the Department of Environmental Conservation to designate a species as a vulnerable species.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the chapter amendment changes to the requirements that allow the Department of Environmental Conservation to designate a species as a vulnerable species. Specifically, the Department of Envi- ronmental Conservation can designate a species as a vulnerable species if a "decline that if unreversed, will likely result in the species becoming endangered or threatened within the foreseeable future.
Section 2 is the effective date.
Existing law
N/A
Justification
This chapter amendment is necessary to provide effective criteria upon which the Department of Environmental Conservation may designate as species as a vulnerable species.
Legislative history
Chapter amendment to Chapter 651 of the Laws of 2019. S.5098 and A.6600 passed both the Senate and Assembly in April of 2019.
Fiscal implications
Unknown
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that section one of this act takes effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2019, amending the environmental conservation law relating to designating certain species as vulnerable species and prohibiting the sale of articles made from such vulnerable species, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5098 and A. 6600, takes effect.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.