Bill Text: GA SB203 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Game/Fish; regulate taking, possession, transportation, farming, selling of fresh-water turtles; provide rules/regulations

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-11 - Senate Recommitted [SB203 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-SB203-Comm_Sub.html

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09 LC 25 5581S

The Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee offered the following substitute to SB 203:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to game and fish, so as to define a term; to change certain provisions relating to taking of nongame species; to regulate the taking, possession, transportation, farming, and selling of fresh-water turtles; to provide for rules and regulations; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to game and fish, is amended by adding a new paragraph in Code Section 27-1-2, relating to definitions, to read as follows:

"(29.2) 'Fresh-water turtle' means any turtle or its eggs within the families Chelydridae, Emydidae (excluding Malaclemys terrapin and Terrapene carolina), Kinosternidae, and Trionychidae."

SECTION 2.

Said title is further amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 27-1-28, relating to taking of nongame species, as follows:

"(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, rule, or regulation, it shall be unlawful to hunt, trap, fish, take, possess, or transport any nongame species of wildlife, except that the following species may be taken by any method except those specifically prohibited by law or regulation:

(1) Rats;

(2) Mice;

(3) Coyotes;

(4) Armadillos;

(5) Groundhogs;

(6) Beaver;

(7) Fresh-water turtles Reserved;

(8) Poisonous Venomous snakes;

(9) Frogs;

(10) Spring lizards;

(11) Fiddler crabs;

(12) Fresh-water crayfish;

(13) Fresh-water mussels; and

(14) Nutria."

SECTION 3.

Said title is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:

"27-3-19.1.

(a) It shall be unlawful to take any fresh-water turtle other than as authorized by rules and regulations of the board, except that fresh-water turtles may be taken from private ponds with the landowner's permission.

(b) It shall be unlawful to possess, transport, farm, or sell any fresh-water turtle or part thereof except in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the board. These rules shall not prohibit the sale of fresh-water turtles taken from private ponds with the written permission of the landowner.

(c) As the board deems appropriate for purposes of this Code section, it may promulgate such rules and regulations as are reasonable and necessary under sound wildlife management practices."

SECTION 4.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.