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HB 536

Loggerhead Turtle/State Saltwater Reptile.

2023-2024 Session Introduced by Terry Brown and 10 co-sponsors

Designates the loggerhead sea turtle as North Carolina’s official state saltwater reptile; a symbolic designation with no new protections, funding, or regulatory changes.

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Bill Summary · HB 536

Summary — HB 536: "Loggerhead Turtle / State Saltwater Reptile"

Main purpose

This bill designates the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) as the official state saltwater reptile. The measure is symbolic: it names a state symbol and does not, on its face, create new regulatory frameworks, protections, or funding for the species.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new statutory section to Chapter 145 of the state statutes (proposed section §145-52).
  • Text of the new section: "The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is adopted as the official saltwater reptile of the State of North Carolina."
  • Effective date: the act becomes effective when it becomes law.

Rationale and background facts included in bill text

  • Notes that the loggerhead is the most common sea turtle along the state’s coast.
  • Provides basic natural-history points used to justify the designation: lifespan (up to ~50 years), typical adult size and weight, diet (horseshoe crabs, mollusks), nesting behavior (hundreds of nests on state beaches), clutch size (~100+ eggs) and incubation (~60 days).
  • Scientific name provided: Caretta caretta.

Who/what is affected

  • Primary effect is symbolic/ceremonial — the state gains an official saltwater reptile designation.
  • No direct regulatory, enforcement, licensing, or funding changes are created by the bill itself.
  • Indirect stakeholders who may reference or benefit from the designation: state tourism/education programs, coastal communities, environmental education groups, museums, and conservation outreach efforts.

Fiscal and administrative impact

  • No line-item appropriations or program changes are included; fiscal impact is expected to be negligible.
  • Possible minor administrative tasks (updating official state publications, websites, or signage) could incur small, routine costs.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • The bill text adds a single statutory section and takes effect upon enactment.
  • The version provided traces to introduction and committee referral in the General Assembly (filed and referred in spring session documents in the record). (Note: HB 536 is a common bill number used in multiple jurisdictions and sessions — this summary addresses the loggerhead/State Saltwater Reptile proposal.)

Practical impact and considerations

  • Symbolically highlights the loggerhead as an iconic coastal species and may support public-awareness and education efforts.
  • The designation does not substitute for conservation, habitat protection, or fisheries management; separate legislation and programmatic action would be required to change legal protections or funding for turtle conservation.
  • Supporters may use the designation as a platform to promote beach-nesting habitat protection and community outreach; critics may view it as purely ceremonial unless paired with substantive conservation measures.

Sponsors (as indicated in the bill text): Representative(s) sponsoring the loggerhead designation in the provided version included Representative Iler (and in one filing, Carson Smith listed alongside).

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

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