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

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          6621

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                     March 18, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation

        AN ACT to amend the  environmental  conservation  law,  in  relation  to
          prohibiting  the  breeding,  sale,  trade,  purchase, importation, and
          exportation of red-eared slider turtles

          THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section  1.  Legislative  intent. 1. New York is a significant partic-
     2  ipant in the global marketplace for the red-eared slider turtle, one  of
     3  the  world's  100  most invasive species, according to the International
     4  Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
     5    2. Though native only in U.S. southern states, the red-eared slider is
     6  now considered invasive on every continent except Antarctica due to  the
     7  global pet trade.
     8    3.  Because red-eared sliders can live up to 40 years in captivity and
     9  will continue to grow during that time, pet owners  often  release  them
    10  into  the  wild,  or the turtles escape enclosures, which has led to the
    11  national and international proliferation of the species.
    12    4. Due to their long life, resistance to disease, and voracious forag-
    13  ing, red-eared sliders outcompete other species,  disrupt  habitats  and
    14  pose  a  grave threat to biodiversity wherever they reside outside their
    15  natural range.
    16    5. Although it is illegal for a  pet  owner  to  release  a  red-eared
    17  slider  into  the wild in New York, the regulation is unenforceable, and
    18  the commerce in red-eared sliders is unabated, resulting in the continu-
    19  ing spread of red-eared sliders in waters ranging from  Buffalo  to  New
    20  York City's parks.
    21    6.  New York's participation in the international marketplace for red-
    22  eared slider turtles has made the state and its people unwitting partic-
    23  ipants in the global spread of one of the most invasive species  on  the
    24  planet.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04240-01-5
        S. 6621                             2

     1    7.  It  is  in the best interest of the state that the breeding, sale,
     2  trade,  purchase,  importation,  and  exportation  of  red-eared  slider
     3  turtles be prohibited, and that the state use its authority to assist in
     4  all  efforts to prevent further introduction of red-eared slider turtles
     5  statewide, nationally, and internationally.
     6    §  2.  The  environmental  conservation law is amended by adding a new
     7  section 11-0541 to read as follows:
     8  § 11-0541. BREEDING AND SALE OF RED-EARED SLIDER TURTLES PROHIBITED.
     9    1. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "RED-EARED SLIDER TURTLES"  SHALL
    10  MEAN THE SPECIES TRACHEMYS SCRIPTA ELEGANS.
    11    2.  NO  PERSON,  FIRM,  PARTNERSHIP, CORPORATION, OR GOVERNMENT ENTITY
    12  SHALL KNOWINGLY  BREED,  SELL,  PURCHASE,  IMPORT,  EXPORT,  DISTRIBUTE,
    13  TRANSPORT OR OTHERWISE TRADE RED-EARED SLIDER TURTLES.
    14    3. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO:
    15    (A)  ZOOLOGICAL  PARKS  AND AQUARIUMS ACCREDITED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF
    16  ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS;
    17    (B) WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES, AS  DEFINED  BY  SUBDIVISION  THIRTY-TWO  OF
    18  SECTION 11-0103 OF THIS ARTICLE;
    19    (C)  RESEARCH FACILITIES, AS DEFINED BY THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT, 7 USC.
    20  SECTION 2132(E), LICENSED BY THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE;
    21    (D) LICENSED VETERINARIANS AND INCORPORATED HUMANE  SOCIETIES,  ANIMAL
    22  SHELTERS, SOCIETIES FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, AND ANIMAL
    23  WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS IN TEMPORARY POSSESSION OF WILD ANIMALS;
    24    (E)  STATE  UNIVERSITIES,  PRIVATE COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES, AND STATE
    25  AGENCIES WORKING WITH WILD ANIMALS;
    26    (F) WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS LICENSED PURSUANT  TO  THE  PROVISIONS  OF
    27  SUBDIVISION  THREE  OF  SECTION 11-0515 OF THIS TITLE WHO ARE TENDING TO
    28  SICK, INJURED, OR ABANDONED WILD ANIMALS;
    29    (G) A PERSON HAVING CUSTODY OF A WILD ANIMAL SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF
    30  TRANSPORTING IT TO  A  LICENSED  VETERINARIAN,  WILDLIFE  REHABILITATOR,
    31  HUMANE  SOCIETY,  OR  OTHER  ENTITY  AUTHORIZED  TO HANDLE OR TREAT WILD
    32  ANIMALS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION; AND
    33    (H) NATURE CENTERS ENGAGED IN BONA FIDE ENVIRONMENTAL OR  CONSERVATION
    34  EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
    35    4.  THE DEPARTMENT MAY ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO IMPLE-
    36  MENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
    37    § 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
    38  have become a law.