State SealARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

HB 2404: taxidermy; registry

PRIME SPONSOR: Representative Mosley, LD 5

BILL STATUS: House Engrossed

 

Legend: AZGFD – Arizona Game and Fish Department Commission – Arizona Game and Fish Commission USFWS – US Fish and Wildlife Service Amendments – BOLD and Stricken (Committee)

Abstract

☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☒ Fiscal NoteRelating to the registration of taxidermists.

Provisions

1.       Requires a taxidermist to:

a.       register with the AZGFD rather than be licensed by the Commission;

b.       maintain the register for five years after the date the wildlife was received; and

c.        file a copy of the register by January 31 of each year, rather than quarterly. (Sec. 2)

2.       Subjects a person who violates these provisions to a civil penalty of $150.

3.       Enables the Commission to revoke or suspend a taxidermist's registration and deny the right to register for up to one year.

4.       Removes the requirement to provide the register to authorized representatives of the USFWS.

5.       Provides an effective date of January 1, 2019.

6.       Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2)

Current Law

A person who engages in taxidermy must procure a license from the Commission and keep a register of: 1) the names and addresses of persons who furnish raw and unmounted specimens; 2) the taker's tag or license number; and 3) the date and number of each species of wildlife received. On request, a taxidermist is required to provide the register information to authorized representatives of the AZGFD and the USFWS. Additionally, a taxidermist must file annual reports in January, April, July and October that includes the register information, excluding names and addresses (A.R.S. § 17-363).

A taxidermist license is $150 annually and may be revoked, suspended or denied by the Commission for conviction of certain offenses (R12-4-102 and R12-4-605). Taxidermist means any person who engages for hire in the mounting, refurbishing, maintaining, restoring or preserving of any display specimen (A.R.S. § 17-101).

A federal taxidermist permit is not required to mount lawfully taken and acquired mammals and non-migratory birds; however, a permit is required to mount or perform taxidermy work on migratory birds or their parts, nests or eggs belonging to someone else. The migratory bird permit is $100 and valid for five years (50 CFR § 21.24).

Additional Information

According to the AZGFD, there are 151 licensed taxidermists in Arizona.

                                                                               

 

 

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Fifty-third Legislature                                                  HB 2404

Second Regular Session                                               Version 4: House Engrossed

 

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