H5137 • 2025

An Act to protecting Avian rights and restricting ongoing trade

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The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Shirley B. Arriaga
Last action: 2026-03-26
Official status: Referred to Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to protecting Avian rights and restricting ongoing trade

An Act to protecting Avian rights and restricting ongoing trade By Representative Arriaga of Chicopee, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Shirley B.

What This Bill Does

An Act to protecting Avian rights and restricting ongoing trade By Representative Arriaga of Chicopee, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Shirley B.
Arriaga relative to the sale of parrots.
Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
Status: Referred to Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-26 Senate
Senate concurred
2026-03-23 House
Discharged to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources
2026-02-19 Senate
Senate concurred
2026-02-17 House
Reported, referred to the committee on Joint Rules, reported, rules suspended and referred to the committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
2025-07-21 House
Referred to the committee on House Rules

Official Summary Text

An Act to protecting Avian rights and restricting ongoing trade
By Representative Arriaga of Chicopee, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Shirley B. Arriaga relative to the sale of parrots. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
Status:
Referred to Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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Bill H.5137

SECTION 1. Chapter 140 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 141D the following section: -

Section 141E. (a) For purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

“Animal rescue organization”, a non-profit organization engaged in the rescue and placement of animals that: (i) is registered with the department of agriculture; (ii) does not breed animals and is not located on the same premises as any person or entity that breeds animals; and (iii) does not obtain animals in exchange for payment or compensation from a person or entity that breeds or brokers animals.

“Parrot”, a bird belonging to the order Psittaciformes.

(b) No person shall sell, offer to sell, exchange, trade, barter, lease or transfer for permanent physical placement a parrot. A person may surrender or otherwise transfer for permanent physical placement without compensation a parrot to: (i) an animal rescue organization; or (ii) a public animal control facility or shelter. An animal rescue organization or a public animal control facility or shelter may transfer a parrot to an individual for permanent physical placement without compensation.

(c) A violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000. Each parrot sold, exchanged, traded, bartered, leased or transferred for permanent physical placement in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense.

(d) A city or town shall enforce this section through its animal control officers or police officers in a manner consistent with the disposition provisions in section 21D of chapter 40.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 180 days following its passage.

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