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House
File
24
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
24
BY
SORENSEN
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
public
contact
with
dangerous
wild
animals,
1
and
making
penalties
applicable.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
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H.F.
24
Section
1.
Section
717F.1,
subsection
5,
paragraph
a,
Code
1
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
subparagraph:
2
NEW
SUBPARAGRAPH
.
(11)
A
member
of
the
subdivision
3
selachimorpha
of
the
neoselachii
clade,
which
are
any
species
4
of
sharks,
that
can
grow
to
more
than
twenty-three
inches
in
5
length
or
that
has
a
documented
history
of
biting
humans.
6
Sec.
2.
Section
717F.4,
Code
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
7
following
new
subsection:
8
NEW
SUBSECTION
.
13.
The
person
must
not
allow
any
member
of
9
the
public
to
have
direct
contact
with
a
dangerous
wild
animal
10
as
provided
in
section
717F.14.
11
Sec.
3.
Section
717F.7,
unnumbered
paragraph
1,
Code
2025,
12
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
13
This
chapter
,
excluding
section
717F.14,
does
not
apply
to
14
any
of
the
following:
15
Sec.
4.
Section
717F.13,
Code
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
16
follows:
17
717F.13
Criminal
penalties.
18
A
person
who
intentionally
causes
a
dangerous
wild
animal
to
19
escape
in
violation
of
this
chapter
,
or
who
violates
section
20
717F.14,
is
guilty
of
an
aggravated
misdemeanor.
21
Sec.
5.
NEW
SECTION
.
717F.14
Public
contact
with
dangerous
22
wild
animals
prohibited.
23
1.
Notwithstanding
section
717F.4,
717F.7,
or
any
other
24
provision
of
law,
a
person
shall
not
allow
any
member
of
the
25
public
to
come
in
direct
contact
with
a
dangerous
wild
animal.
26
2.
For
purposes
of
this
section:
27
a.
“Direct
contact”
means
physical
contact
or
proximity
28
where
physical
contact
is
possible,
including
but
not
limited
29
to
any
proximity
without
a
permanent
barrier
designed
to
30
prevent
physical
contact
between
the
public
and
a
dangerous
31
wild
animal.
32
b.
“Member
of
the
public”
means
a
person
not
authorized
to
33
be
in
direct
contact
with
a
dangerous
wild
animal
pursuant
to
34
an
exemption
in
section
717F.7.
35
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EXPLANATION
1
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
2
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
3
This
bill
relates
to
public
contact
with
dangerous
wild
4
animals.
5
The
bill
provides
that
notwithstanding
any
provision
of
6
law,
a
person
shall
not
allow
any
member
of
the
public
to
come
7
in
direct
contact
with
a
dangerous
wild
animal.
The
bill
8
defines
“direct
contact”
as
physical
contact
or
proximity
9
where
physical
contact
is
possible,
including
but
not
limited
10
to
any
proximity
without
a
permanent
barrier
designed
to
11
prevent
physical
contact
between
the
public
and
a
dangerous
12
wild
animal.
The
bill
defines
“member
of
the
public”
as
a
13
person
not
otherwise
authorized
to
be
in
direct
contact
with
14
a
dangerous
wild
animal.
A
violation
of
Code
section
717F.14
15
is
an
aggravated
misdemeanor.
An
aggravated
misdemeanor
is
16
punishable
by
confinement
for
no
more
than
two
years
and
a
fine
17
of
at
least
$855
but
not
more
than
$8,540.
18
The
bill
adds
sharks
that
can
grow
to
more
than
23
inches
in
19
length
or
that
have
a
documented
history
of
biting
humans
to
20
the
definition
of
“dangerous
wild
animal”.
21
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