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S 634

Laniesha Williams-Flood

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Brian Adams

Mass. bill bans most furbearer traps, allows only non-gripping live traps (with limited exceptions), plus emergency permits and required reporting to safeguard health and safety.

Introduced and adopted
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Bill Summary · S 634

Summary — S.634 (2025) — "An Act conserving our natural resources"

Note on document inconsistency
- The header information initially referenced insurance coverage for diabetes screening. The enacted bill text provided and the accompanying legislative actions concern changes to Massachusetts General Laws (Chapter 131, Section 80A) regulating the use of traps for furbearing mammals. This summary focuses on the actual bill text (wildlife/trapping provisions).

Purpose
- To restrict the types of traps that may be used to capture furbearing mammals in Massachusetts, allow only non‑gripping live‑capture devices (with limited exceptions), and create emergency permitting, reporting, and oversight requirements to address human‑health and safety threats caused by certain animals (notably beaver and muskrat).

Key provisions
- Prohibitions:
- Broad ban on use, setting, placement, or maintenance of traps to capture furbearing mammals, except:
- Common mouse and rat traps; nets; and box/cage (live‑capture) traps (e.g., Hancock or Bailey beaver live traps).
- Explicit prohibition of traps that grasp or grip an animal or body part — examples include steel jaw leghold traps, padded leghold traps, and lethal snares.

  • Allowed exceptions:

    • State agencies (health, fish & game) or municipal boards of health and their agents may use certain devices (e.g., Conibear® style traps, dog‑proof foot encapsulation restraints, non‑lethal cable restraints) when used to avoid harm to animals and only for specific purposes: protection of human health/safety, scientific research, protection of listed species.
    • Seasonal management exception: between November and April inclusive, management of wildlife classified as furbearers by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife may use specified devices when done by qualified, licensed individuals under Division rules.

  • Definition/examples of "threat to human health and safety":

    • Beaver/muskrat occupancy or flooding affecting public water supplies, wells, pumping stations, sewage systems, roads/railways/airport surfaces, power/communications facilities, hospitals/emergency facilities, hazardous waste sites, or causing gnawing/ damage to utility equipment.
    • Flooding or structural instability on property that poses imminent threat of substantial property damage or income loss (specific agricultural and residential conditions enumerated).

  • Emergency permitting and appeals:

    • Municipal board of health may issue an emergency permit to immediately alleviate a qualified threat for up to 10 days.
    • If municipal denial occurs, denial must be provided in writing within 10 days and include appeal instructions to the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife; the Division or its director may likewise issue emergency permits for up to 10 days.

  • Reporting requirement:

    • Permit holders must report within 30 days after permit expiration (or extension) to the Division director on an approved form: municipality, property owner, property address, authorized agent, methods used, and number of animals taken by species, plus other data the director requires.

Who is affected
- Individual trappers, nuisance wildlife control operators, pest control businesses, municipalities (boards of health), the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the Department of Environmental Protection, state/federal agencies, property owners (including agricultural producers), utilities, and public water/sanitation operators.

Procedural status / timeline (selected)
- Filed/Introduced (MA): 01/17/2025 (sponsor: Sen. Paul W. Mark; petitioners include Joanne M. Comerford).
- Referred to Environment and Natural Resources Committee: 02/27/2025.
- Passed Senate: 06/11/2025; delivered to House (Assembly) and subsequently referred to the Committee on Insurance (records show multiple committee referrals and amendments; print numbers 634A and 634B indicate amended versions).
- Hearings scheduled (according to record): 10/21/2025.
- The flow shows committee reports, amendments, re‑commitments and printing of amended versions — bill remains subject to House action, committee review, and final enactment processes.

Potential impacts
- Reduces use of injurious and inhumane trapping methods, shifting nuisance control toward live‑capture and regulated seasonal management.
- Increases municipal and state oversight and recordkeeping of wildlife removals.
- May raise operational costs or require retraining/licensing for trappers and municipal crews; could require municipalities/property owners to rely more on Division permits or licensed contractors.
- Aims to balance public health/safety exceptions with wildlife welfare and transparency.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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