21/01/2020
ACTION ALERT: SB906 and SB1414 ban on tegus and iguanas
Read below or at www.usarkfl.org/post/2020ban
UPDATE: SB1414 is being heard on Feb. 3 at 4:00 PM:
Senate Environment and Natural resources Committee
Mallory Horne Committee Room 37
Senate Building
404 S. Monroe
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Senate Bill 906 (SB906) will ban possession and any activities with both the green iguana (Iguana iguana) and the Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae). After not getting traction from the legislature in the last few years, this ban now has support and has passed its first committee. On 1/21, SB906 received a favorable vote of 4-0 by the Senate Environment and Natural Resources. A probable amendment to add Colombian (black and gold) tegus and red tegus was mentioned by the bill sponsor (Farmer) but not introduced yet. The amendment could include other species, too. The bill will next be heard in the Senate Committee on Community Affairs (where the amendment to add more tegu species will likely be introduced).
PLEASE read everything below for full details and actions to take! AND SHARE THIS!!!
UPDATE: A companion bill, House Bill 1415, has been filed. HB1415 would have the same consequences as SB906.
Additionally, Senate Bill 1414 and HB 777 are also filed. SB1414 and HB777 are even worse. Not only do they ban iguanas and tegus, but they also ban any sales and breeding of all species currently listed as Conditional species. Essentially, the current permit available allowing you to keep, breed, and sell Conditional out of state or to other permit holders would be gone. This is an effort to end ownership of all Conditional species in Florida. And not just currently listed species, but any listed in the future, too. All Conditional Species would now be Prohibited Species.
1. Burmese or Indian python (Python molurus).
2. Reticulated python (Python reticulatus).
3. Northern African python (Python sebae).
4. Southern African python (Python natalensis).
5. Amethystine or scrub python (Morelia amethystinus).
6. Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus).
7. Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus).
8. GREEN IGUANA (IGUANA IGUANA).
9. BLACK AND WHITE TEGU (SALVATOR MERIANAE).
10. Any other reptile designated as a conditional or prohibited species by the commission.
While we usually see species listings go through a rulemaking process by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), this is a legislative effort that would then amend the FWC regulation. This bill has not passed in previous legislative sessions.
You can read the SB906 text at www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/906/BillText/Filed/PDF
You can read the SB1414 text at www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2020/1414/?Tab=BillText
Sample Messaging
Please edit and personalize. Remember to be civil and professional at all times.
NOTE: We appreciate the online petitions but they will serve no role in stopping this. The actions below and our future direction are all that can stop these bills. Also, if you have time to complain on social media then you have more than enough time to do what is below. Take action rather than just complaining!
What to do:
1. Call officials;
2. Email officials;
3. Fax letters;
4. Make meetings with your elected officials;
5. Attend hearings and voice opposition, if possible;
6. Stay updated by joining our free email newsletter (signup at bottom of page) and Like and follow our page at www.facebook.com/usarkfl
7. SHARE!!!
Remember that even if it is not your species of interest being banned today, it may be tomorrow! Support those in trouble now!
We need to jump on this ASAP! The bill has never passed committee.
Committee phone list (call your Senator, too):
SB906 call list: (850) 487-5034, (850) 487-5039, (850) 487-5001, (850) 487-5038, (850) 487-5009
SB1414 call list: (850) 487-5014, (850) 487-5003, (850) 487-5026, (850) 487-5031, (850) 487-5017
When calling, you can simply state you are opposed to Senate Bill 906 or SB1414 or you may add some of the messaging below.
You can find all of Senators' contact information at the links below. Just click on a Senator's name and full contact details will appear. You want to contact their Tallahassee offices. Phone calls, faxes, and mailed letters should also be used and are more effective than emails.
LINK to SB906 committee members: www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/CA
LINK to SB1414 committee members: http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/CA
Email list: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
You can find your Florida State Senator by simply typing your address at www.flsenate.gov/Senators/Find. Send messages to your elected officials even if they are not in a committee hearing this bill.
Email subject line sample:
NO to SB906 and SB1414
Sample letter/email
You can easily copy/paste but please personalize.
Dear Senator,
I send this letter as a Florida resident concerned with Senate bill 906 and 1414. This bill includes two reptile species, with more suggested to be added: Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae) and green iguana (Iguana iguana). As a responsible reptile owner, I must alert you to the many problems with SB906.
If you are unaware, the legislature is precluded from regulating wildlife by the State Constitution. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC, holds supreme authority over what the State defines as wild animal life. This includes any species listed in SB906 and SB1414. My statement can be verified by reviewing Section 9, Article IV of the Constitution of the State of Florida.
SB906 and SB1414 are loaded with unintended consequences. While the bill seems to be offering a solution, it is actually creating more problems and fails to address the current dilemma.
SB906 and SB1414 consequences:
1. This bill will encourage the release of non-native reptiles.
2. This bill does nothing to remedy the current problems caused by these animals in the wild.
3. Banning these species encourages a black market and underground, illegal activities.
4. Florida business owners have millions of dollars invested in these species.
5. The overreaching negative impacts upon these businesses must be considered as a termination of their future sales is a taking and they must be reimbursed, which means there must be an economic impact study and restitution.
6. Protection of Florida's native wildlife is of utmost importance but this bill is a backward approach to addressing the issues.
7. FWC has reported a preposterous and superfluous cost of $1,000 per tegu for removal purposes. Currently, independent trappers are catching and removing tegus and iguanas at no cost to the State. This current state revenue saving activity would be banned and the cost of future eradication efforts would sky-rocket. Florida legislators need to learn the full story to avoid ineptly spending tax money and FWC resources on this issue when no-costs options are currently in play.
8. Additionally, Florida stakeholders have developed a plan in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide an expansive tegu and iguana removal program (at no cost to the State) but the Florida Wildlife Commission has failed to implement this proposal and we are instead facing this unjust recourse.
9. This is a grand example of collective punishment in which good and responsible citizens are punished due to the actions of a few bad actors. Rather than actually finding and punishing criminals, a bad law is written which does nothing more than allow legislative grandstanding while creating bigger problems.
Some points of clarification from misinformation provided:
1. There is NO evidence that Tegus have taken eggs from sea turtle nests.
2. A public health risk has been sensationalized. After being in our landscape for many decades we have yet to see evidence to support there is an actual public health risk from iguana f***s on the ground as no salmonella cases have been recorded.
Please realize the problems with SB906 and SB1414 and their companion bills (HB1415 and HB777). All of these bills need to be stopped and replaced with common-sense regulations that both allow for responsible trade and eradication of any wild animals. These bills are very misguided efforts!
There is a reason this same exact bill has not passed (or even cleared committee) for the last several years and it because legislators realized this is not the answer. SB906 and SB1414 must be stopped! They are bad for Florida and its wildlife. Thank you for your time and have a good day.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
