HOUSE BILL No. 6572

 

October 15, 2008, Introduced by Rep. Hune and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

 

     A bill to amend 2000 PA 274, entitled

 

"Large carnivore act,"

 

by amending section 22 (MCL 287.1122).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 22. (1) Sections 4, 5, and 6 do not apply to any of the

 

following:

 

     (a) An animal control shelter or animal protection shelter.

 

     (b) A person licensed or approved by the department of natural

 

resources of this state or by the United States fish and wildlife

 

service of the United States department of the interior. This

 

subdivision does not apply to a person in possession of 1 or more

 

black bears under the authority of a permit to hold wildlife in

 

captivity issued by the department of natural resources.

 


     (c) A zoological park approved or accredited by the American

 

zoo and aquarium association.

 

     (d) A person approved by the association of sanctuaries or the

 

American sanctuary association.

 

     (e) A law enforcement officer acting under the authority of

 

this act.

 

     (f) A veterinarian temporarily in possession of a large

 

carnivore to provide veterinary care for or humanely euthanize the

 

large carnivore.

 

     (2) Sections 4, 5, 6(1)(d) to (5)(d), 8, and 14(3) do not

 

apply to a person who is not a resident of this state and who is in

 

this state only for the purpose of travel between locations outside

 

of this state.

 

     (3) Subject to subsection (2), this act does not apply to a

 

person who meets all of the following requirements:

 

     (a) Is conducting a for-profit or nonprofit business that

 

meets both of the following requirements:

 

     (i) The primary purpose of the business is the presentation of

 

animals including large carnivores to the public for education or

 

exhibition purposes.

 

     (ii) The business is not conducted in connection with another

 

business as a means of attracting customers to that other business.

 

     (b) Is a class C licensee that possesses and maintains a class

 

C license under 9 C.F.R. CFR 1.1.

 

     (c) Meets or exceeds all standards, including but not limited

 

to standards for training, housing, care, and transport of large

 

carnivores, required of a class C licensee under 9 C.F.R. CFR 1.1.

 


     (d) Does not allow a patron to do any of the following:

 

     (i) Come into direct contact with a large carnivore.

 

     (ii) Come into close enough contact with a large carnivore over

 

20 weeks of age so as to place the patron in jeopardy of being

 

harmed by the large carnivore.

 

     (e) Does not sell large carnivores, except to another person

 

that meets the requirements of this subsection.

 

     (f) Does not breed large carnivores.

 

     (4) This act does not apply to a circus.

 

     (5) This act does not apply to a person whose facilities are

 

accredited by the zoological association of America.