File #: Int 1205-2023    Version: * Name: Prohibiting the release of birds for commercial purposes.
Type: Introduction Status: Filed (End of Session)
Committee: Committee on Health
On agenda: 9/28/2023
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the release of birds for commercial purposes
Sponsors: Carlina Rivera , Lynn C. Schulman, Shaun Abreu, Shahana K. Hanif, Christopher Marte, Shekar Krishnan, Sandra Ung, Robert F. Holden, Gale A. Brewer, Julie Won, Keith Powers , James F. Gennaro
Council Member Sponsors: 12
Summary: This bill would prohibit the release of birds for commercial purposes, such as at weddings, gender reveals, funerals, and other events. Specifically, this bill would prohibit keeping such birds for the purpose of releasing them for a fee; offering to release such birds for a fee; and release of such birds for a fee. Each violation would be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000 or imprisonment for no more than 1 year or both.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1205, 2. Int. No. 1205, 3. September 28, 2023 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 9-28-23, 5. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - September 28, 2023

Int. No. 1205

 

By Council Members Rivera, Schulman, Abreu, Hanif, Marte, Krishnan, Ung, Holden, Brewer, Won, Powers and Gennaro

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the release of birds for commercial purposes

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 17-200.1 to read as follows:

§ 17-200.1 Prohibition on the release of birds for commercial purposes. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Bird. The term “bird” means a bird, including but not limited to a rock dove, homing pigeon, ringneck dove, or a barbary dove, purchased or kept for the purpose of releasing such bird for a fee.

Release. The term “release” means to free a bird from restraint or confinement with the intent to allow or enable such bird to fly unrestrained, temporarily or permanently, in the wild.

b. No person shall keep or retain any bird for the purpose of releasing such bird for a fee and no person shall offer to release or release a bird for a fee.

c. Penalty. 1. Any person convicted of any prohibited act set forth in subdivision b of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of no more than $1,000, or imprisonment for no more than 1 year, or both, for each violation.

2. The penalties provided in this section shall not preclude the imposition of any other penalty provided for by law.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.