Bill
H 4461
Expands strict limits on private ownership of primates and other covered animals, requires registration, tracking, and safety compliance, with grandfathering for existing owners.
Status & procedure
- Introduced: 2025-04-30. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
- Later House actions (2025-09-02) show referral to House Rules, committee reported “ought to be adopted,” rules suspended, and adopted.
- Related: HD 5088 (replaces).
- Note: Source text is partially truncated; this summary covers the bill text provided.
Purpose and intent
- Amend Chapter 2 of Title 47 (currently addressing large wild cats, non‑native bears, and great apes) to explicitly include primates and to restrict and regulate possession, acquisition, transfer, sale, and transport of these “covered animals.” The bill aims to limit private ownership, improve public safety, and establish registration and oversight requirements.
Key definitions
- “Covered animal” expanded to include specified Carnivora (Family Felidae — panthera genus) and non‑native Ursidae, plus primates (Order Primate) and great apes (Family Hominidae: chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans).
- “Possessor” = any person or entity owning, harboring, bringing into the State, or controlling a covered animal.
- “Animal control authority” = local agency (municipal/county animal control, sheriff, or other designated agency).
Major provisions
- Prohibits importing, possessing, keeping, purchasing, breeding, transferring, or selling covered animals within the State (including online transactions), except as specifically allowed.
- Grandfathering: persons who lawfully possessed covered animals prior to Jan 1, 2018 (and for non‑great‑ape primates, prior to Jan 1, 2026) may retain animals for the animal’s life if they meet registration and compliance conditions.
- Registration requirements (deadline tied to the grandfather dates): one‑time per‑site fee of $500 and annual fee of $100 per covered animal; required inventory, photos/microchip IDs, site address, contact info, and ongoing update obligations.
- Operational requirements for grandfathered possessors: contingency/recapture plan for first responders, veterinary and acquisition records proving prior possession, access for inspections, and compliance with federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) housing/public safety standards.
- Exceptions (examples): incorporated nonprofit shelters (temporary at request), federal/state wildlife officers, animal control/law enforcement, veterinary facilities providing care, research facilities with Class R AWA registration, certain USDA license holders (Class A/B/C) meeting date‑specific compliance, circuses with Class C licenses temporarily in State, and registered intermediate handlers transporting animals through the State.
Who is affected
- Private owners, breeders, exhibitors, and sellers of large wild cats, non‑native bears, primates, and great apes.
- Municipal and county animal control authorities and law enforcement (enforcement duties).
- Research institutions, licensed USDA facilities, veterinary clinics, nonprofit animal protection organizations, circuses, and transport intermediaries (under defined exceptions).
Potential impacts
- Would substantially restrict future private acquisition and commercial trade in covered animals.
- Grandfathered owners face administrative, recordkeeping, and facility‑compliance costs and potential need to obtain/maintain USDA licensing to continue acquiring animals per specified timeline.
- Increases regulatory/inspection responsibilities for local animal control authorities and may impose enforcement costs (offset in part by registration fees).
- Aims to enhance public safety and animal welfare by limiting nonregulated possession and requiring contingency planning and AWA standards.
Caveat
- The bill text provided is truncated; additional operational details, penalties, and enforcement mechanisms may appear in the omitted portions. Summary based on available provisions.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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