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S 6621

Prohibits the breeding, sale, trade, purchase, importation, and exportation of red-eared slider turtles

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Harckham

Prohibits breeding, sale, trade, import, and export of red-eared slider turtles to curb their commerce and ecological impact, affecting breeders, shops, importers, and buyers.

REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
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Bill Summary · S 6621

Summary: Senate Bill S 6621 – Prohibits Red-Eared Slider Turtles Trade

Overview

Senate Bill S 6621, introduced March 18, 2025, seeks to prohibit the breeding, sale, trade, purchase, importation, and exportation of red-eared slider turtles. The bill is currently referred to the Environmental Conservation committee. The primary sponsor is Senator Pete Harckham. Related Assembly bills are A 10663 (prior-session) and A 1685 (companion).

Purpose and Intent

  • The core purpose is to completely ban the commercial and private handling of red-eared slider turtles across breeding, selling, transporting, and importing/exporting activities.
  • By restricting both domestic trade and cross-border movement, the bill aims to reduce or eliminate the presence of red-eared slider turtles in commerce and, implicitly, in ecosystems where they may have ecological impacts.

Key Provisions (as indicated)

  • Explicit prohibition on:
    • Breeding red-eared slider turtles
    • Sale and trade of red-eared slider turtles
    • Purchase of red-eared slider turtles
    • Importation of red-eared slider turtles
    • Exportation of red-eared slider turtles
  • The summary provided does not include exemptions, regulatory triggers, or specific enforcement mechanisms. Details such as penalties, effective dates, and administrative rules would be found in the full text of the bill.

Affected Parties and Potential Impacts

  • Directly affected:
    • Breeders and breeders’ operations
    • Pet shops and retailers dealing with red-eared slider turtles
    • Importers and exporters, including transport and logistics entities
    • Individual purchasers and hobbyists who might acquire or trade red-eared slider turtles
    • Wildlife and environmental agencies responsible for enforcement
  • Potential impacts:
    • Reduction in commercial availability of red-eared slider turtles
    • Compliance costs for affected businesses (recordkeeping, disposal, or cessation of activities)
    • Possible shifts in consumer demand to other species
    • Implications for ecosystems if the turtles are restricted from trafficking or inadvertently released

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduced: March 18, 2025
  • Status: Referred to Environmental Conservation (committee stage). The duplicate entry of the same referral on the same date is noted but does not indicate a different action.
  • Next steps (typical path): Committee review and hearings, potential amendments, committee vote, and progression to the full chamber for floor consideration, followed by movements through the other legislative house ( Assembly, if applicable).

Legislative Context

  • Related bills: A 10663 (prior-session) and A 1685 (companion) indicate parallel or similar proposals in the Assembly, suggesting cross-chamber interest in prohibiting red-eared slider turtles.

Considerations and Questions

  • What exemptions, if any, would apply (e.g., possession prior to enactment, educational institutions, veterinary purposes)?
  • What penalties or enforcement mechanisms would be imposed for violations?
  • What is the proposed effective date after enactment?
  • How would this interact with existing wildlife, animal welfare, or consumer protection laws?

This summary presents the information available in the bill overview. Full text is needed to detail exemptions, penalties, and implementation specifics.

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

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