HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 253 FILED ON: 12/30/2008
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 747
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
William G. Greene, Jr.
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To the Honorable Senate and House of
Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the control of coyotes.
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PETITI
ON OF:
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Name:
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District/Address:
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William G. Greene, Jr.
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22nd Middlesex
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David B. Sullivan
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6th Bristol
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Kathi-Anne Reinstein
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16th Suffolk
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[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 761 OF .]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
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An Act relative to the control of coyotes..
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Chapter 131 of the Massachusetts Genera
l Laws, as appearing in the 2006
Official
Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following new section after 80A:—
Section 80B. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 80A, the director, or persons
permitted by th
e director, may use the most effective means possible for the purpose of capturing
a coyote that presents an imminent threat to human health or safety; provided that concurrence
with the mayor, city council, or the board of selectmen, whatever the case may
be, is achieved in
the city or town where action is deemed by the director to be necessary.
The provisions of sections 80A shall not apply to the use of prohibited devices, by the director or persons permitted by the director, for legitimate scientific re
search projects.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow the use of the steel jaw leghold trap, and/or snares. The director shall promulgate regulations and report annually to the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture on the freq
uency and location of such imminent threats, the criteria used to determine an imminent threat and the number and method used to take coyotes. The Division, as part of its responsibility under this section, shall be required to provide information to local
Boards of Health for dissemination to educate citizens about the ways in which they can participate in avoiding the presence of coyotes and other wildlife in their neighborhoods.
