An Act to protecting Avian rights and restricting ongoing trade
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Date | Branch | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 6/18/2026 | Joint | Hearing scheduled for 07/01/2026 from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM in B-1 |
| 3/26/2026 | Senate | Senate concurred |
| 3/23/2026 | House | Discharged to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources |
| 2/19/2026 | Senate | Senate concurred |
| 2/17/2026 | House | Reported, referred to the committee on Joint Rules, reported, rules suspended and referred to the committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure |
| 7/21/2025 | House | Referred to the committee on House Rules |
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| H33 | Suspend Rules | — |
| J17 | Discharge to Another Committee | — |
| J21 | Accompanied | — |
Chapter 140 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 141D the following section: -
(a) For purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: “Animal rescue organization”, a non-profit organization engaged in the rescue and placement of animals that: (i) is registered with the department of agriculture; (ii) does not breed animals and is not located on the same premises as any person or entity that breeds animals; and (iii) does not obtain animals in exchange for payment or compensation from a person or entity that breeds or brokers animals. “Parrot”, a bird belonging to the order Psittaciformes. (b) No person shall sell, offer to sell, exchange, trade, barter, lease or transfer for permanent physical placement a parrot. A person may surrender or otherwise transfer for permanent physical placement without compensation a parrot to: (i) an animal rescue organization; or (ii) a public animal control facility or shelter. An animal rescue organization or a public animal control facility or shelter may transfer a parrot to an individual for permanent physical placement without compensation. (c) A violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000. Each parrot sold, exchanged, traded, bartered, leased or transferred for permanent physical placement in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense. (d) A city or town shall enforce this section through its animal control officers or police officers in a manner consistent with the disposition provisions in section 21D of chapter 40.
This act shall take effect 180 days following its passage.
SECTION 1. Chapter 140 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 141D the following section: - Section 141E. (a) For purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: “Animal rescue organization”, a non-profit organization engaged in the rescue and placement of animals that: (i) is registered with the department of agriculture; (ii) does not breed animals and is not located on the same premises as any person or entity that breeds animals; and (iii) does not obtain animals in exchange for payment or compensation from a person or entity that breeds or brokers animals. “Parrot”, a bird belonging to the order Psittaciformes. (b) No person shall sell, offer to sell, exchange, trade, barter, lease or transfer for permanent physical placement a parrot. A person may surrender or otherwise transfer for permanent physical placement without compensation a parrot to: (i) an animal rescue organization; or (ii) a public animal control facility or shelter. An animal rescue organization or a public animal control facility or shelter may transfer a parrot to an individual for permanent physical placement without compensation. (c) A violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000. Each parrot sold, exchanged, traded, bartered, leased or transferred for permanent physical placement in violation of this section shall constitute a separate offense. (d) A city or town shall enforce this section through its animal control officers or police officers in a manner consistent with the disposition provisions in section 21D of chapter 40. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 180 days following its passage.