A hearing on Massachusetts Senate Bill 1706 was held on Monday, February 13 before the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development.  Circus and fair executives, professional elephant trainers, veterinarians, and members of the Circus Fans Association of America all testified in opposition to this legislation.

This bill would ban the use of certain elephant training tools, including tethers and the elephant guide (or ankus). If this bill is passed into law, it would prevent Ringling Bros. and other circuses from visiting Massachusetts by preventing the use of widely accepted elephant management tools.

The Joint Committee has not voted on this measure yet, so letters, e-mails, and phone calls in opposition to SB 1706 are still very much needed. The contact information for each member of the Tourism & Arts Committee is listed below. Communications from circus supporters who live in a Committee member's legislative district are especially helpful.

Thank you for your help!

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Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts, and Cultural Development
Note: mailing addresses are all Boston, MA 02133. The Committee office phone is (617) 722-2015.

Senate Chair

Sen. Eileen Donoghue (D-Lowell)
eileen.donoghue@masenate.gov
Phone: (617) 722-1630
State House, Room 112

Senate Vice-Chair

Sen. Benjamin Brackett Downing (D-Pittsfield)
Benjamin.Downing@masenate.gov
Phone: (617) 722-1625
FAX: (617) 722-1523
State House, Room 413F

House Chair

Rep. Sarah K. Peake (D-Provincetown)
Sarah.Peake@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2015
FAX: (617) 626-2239
State House, Room 195

House Vice-Chair

Rep. Paul McMurtry (D-Dedham)
Paul.McMurtry@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2015
FAX: (617) 722-2353
State House, Room 279

Committee Members:

Sen. Sonia R. Chang-Diaz (D-Jamaica Plain)
Sonia.Chang-Diaz@masenate.gov
Phone: (617) 722-1673
State House, Room 413C

Sen. Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge)
Richard.Moore@masenate.gov
Phone: (617) 722-1420
FAX: (617) 722-1944
State House, Room 111

Sen. Bruce E. Tarr (R-Gloucester)
Bruce.Tarr@masenate.gov
Phone: (617) 722-1600
FAX: (617) 722-1310
State House, Room 308

Sen. Daniel A. Wolf (D-Harwich)
daniel.wolf@masenate.gov
Phone: (617) 722-1570
State House, Room 511B

Rep. Gailanne M. Cariddi (D-North Adams)
Gailanne.Cariddi@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2130
FAX: (617) 626-0143
State House, Room 130

Rep. Sean Garballey (D-Arlington)
Sean.Garballey@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2090
FAX: (617) 722-2850
State House, Room 540

Rep. Steven S. Howitt (R-Seekonk)
steven.howitt@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2305
FAX: (617) 626-0211
State House, Room 237

Rep. Charles A. Murphy (D-Burlington)
Charles.Murphy@mahouse.gov
Phone: 617-722-2460
FAX: 617-722-2709
State House, Room 446

Rep. William Pignatelli (D-Lee)
rep.smitty@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2582
FAX: (617) 722-2879
State House, Room 448

Rep. David B. Sullivan (D-Fall River)
David.Sullivan@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2070
FAX: (617) 722-2821
State House, Room 473G

Rep. Cleon H. Turner (D-Dennis)
Cleon.Turner@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2090
FAX: (617) 626-0542
State House, Room 540

Rep. David T. Vieira (R-Teaticket)
David.Vieira@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2810
State House, Room 167

Rep. Christopher Walsh (D-Framingham)
Chris.Walsh@mahouse.gov
Phone: (617) 722-2014
FAX: (617) 626-0291
State House, Room 39