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Location New Jersey 
Bill NJ SB 2508 
Detail Cat   Information 
Detail Article from NorthJersey.com on NJ SB 2508 passing Committee 
Attachment   
Date 9/16/2016 
Body
http://www.northjersey.com/counties/n-j-could-be-first-state-to-bar-circuses-from-using-elephants-1.1659507
 
N.J. could be first state to bar circuses from using elephants

By JOHN C. ENSSLIN

A bill that advocates say would make New Jersey the first state in the nation to ban circuses from using elephants got support from lawmakers Monday.

Dubbed "Nosey's Law" after a 34-year-old elephant in a traveling circus that animal activists want set free, the bill would prohibit anyone from using an elephant in a traveling animal act.

The Senate Economic Growth Committee voted 3-2 to refer the measure for a vote by the full Senate after hearing testimony from several advocates.

"The bill is bigger than Nosey," said Sen. Ray Lesniak, D-Union, the committee chairman who sponsored the measure.

Lesniak this year sponsored a bill that banned the import of trophy animal parts through New Jersey. Governor Christie signed a modified version of that bill into law; a group that represents big-game hunters has challenged the law in federal court.

Brian Hackett, the New Jersey state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said two other states, California and Rhode Island, have banned the use of bull hooks as a tool to move elephants. But no other state has banned the use of the animal in circus acts.

"There's no doubt that New Jersey is leading the way," he said.

Earlier this year, the Bergen County Freeholders banned the use of circus animals within the county.

No one testified against the bill during the hearing. However, a representative of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, sent a letter to lawmakers opposing the measure.

Ringling Bros. removed all elephants from its circuses this year and relocated them to a conservation center in Florida.

"That decision was not easy and was not a rejection of the use of elephants in performance," wrote Thomas L. Albert, vice president of Feld Entertainment, which owns Ringling Bros. Albert said the move was made for economic reasons.

Albert stated that an outright ban on elephants in circuses is unnecessary, noting federal regulations on the animals. He also said a ban will lead to job losses. He said public displays and performances of elephants contribute to public awareness of the animal and their dwindling numbers worldwide.

"Sadly, this legislation will make it more likely that elephants will disappear forever," Albert wrote.

Lesniak countered that he hopes other states adopt similar bans on circus elephants. When asked what impact the law would have on Nosey, Lesniak said, "That's going to be up to the owner."

"There are many organizations willing to take Nosey off his hands and put him in a sanctuary," Lesniak added.

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