HB 692 — An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in permits relating to wildlife, further providing for definitions.

PRINTER'S NO.   708

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 692
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY ZIMMERMAN, HAMM, KAUFFMAN, ROWE AND GILLEN,
        FEBRUARY 21, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAME AND FISHERIES, FEBRUARY 21, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 2      Statutes, in permits relating to wildlife, further providing
 3      for definitions.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.    The definition of "exotic wildlife" in section
 7   2961 of Title 34 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is
 8   amended to read:
 9   § 2961.    Definitions.
10      The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter
11   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12   context clearly indicates otherwise:
13      * * *
14      "Exotic wildlife."     [The phrase includes, but is not limited
15   to, all bears, coyotes, lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars,
16   cheetahs, cougars, wolves and any crossbreed of these animals
17   which have similar characteristics in appearance or features.
18   The definition is applicable whether or not the birds or animals
 1   were bred or reared in captivity or imported from another state
 2   or nation.] As follows:
 3          (1)   The term includes all nonindigenous animals and the
 4      following, regardless of whether the animal is bred or reared
 5      in captivity or imported from another state or nation:
 6                (i)    All members of the order Primates (nonhuman
 7          primates).
 8                (ii)    All members of the family Ursidae (bears).
 9                (iii)    Members of the following species:
10                       (A)   Canis latrans (coyotes).
11                       (B)   Canis lupus (gray wolves).
12                       (C)   Canis rufus (red wolves).
13                       (D)   Felis rufus (bobcats).
14                       (E)   Panthera leo (lions).
15                       (F)   Panthera tigris (tigers).
16                       (G)   Panthera pardus (leopards).
17                       (H)   Panthera uncia (snow leopards).
18                       (I)   Neofelis nebulosa (clouded leopards).
19                       (J)   Panthera onca (jaguars).
20                       (K)   Acinonyx jubatus (cheetahs).
21                       (L)   Felis concolor (cougars).
22                (iv)    Any crossbreed of an animal specified in
23          subparagraph (iii) which have similar characteristics in
24          appearance or features.
25          (2)   The term does not include any of the following:
26                (i)    Any member of the class Aves (birds).
27                (ii)    Any member of the following families:
28                       (A)   Equidae (horses, asses and zebras).
29                       (B)   Camelidae (camels, alpacas and llamas).
30                       (C)   Cervidae (deer, moose and elk).

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 1                    (D)   Bovidae (wild cattle and spiral-horned
 2             antelopes).
 3                    (E)   Muridae (rats and mice).
 4                    (F)   Chinchillidae (chinchillas and viscachas).
 5                    (G)   Leporidae (rabbits and hares).
 6                    (H)   Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and moonrats).
 7                    (I)   Petauridae (gliders and striped possums).
 8             (iii)    Any member of the species Mustela furo
 9        (domestic ferrets).
10             (iv)    Any member of the species Cavia porcellus
11        (domestic guinea pigs).
12             (v)    Any domestic animal, as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. §
13        5531 (relating to definitions).
14    * * *
15    Section 2.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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