Oppose SB 477 and HB 1242 in VA - Experts Forum at VenomousReptiles.org

Oppose SB 477 and HB 1242 in VA	Reply
by ChuckHurd on January 20, 2012	Mail this to a friend!
I strongly encourage any animal enthusiast in VA to use this site to find your delegate and senator. Contact them and ask them to oppose SB 477 and HB 1242. Even if the animals you like are not affected in these bills, this is not the endpoint. If we give up venomous and constrictors now, in a couple months they will go after your dogs, cats, and horses. http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

RE: Oppose SB 477 and HB 1242 in VA	Reply
by go_topless on January 21, 2012	Mail this to a friend!
A meeting, regarding Virginia’s proposed SB 477 is set for Tuesday, at 11:00, this allows for everyone to get their animals tended to, children on the school bus, business meetings to be rescheduled, etc... Please bring your lunch or a snack as I am sure this will take some time. This is open to everyone. So if you see someone's name not on the Cc please forward this email. There is a lot to go over including the bill Delegate Peace is presenting. Very similar but quite different then the one Senator Lucas #477. You must remember that this does not only affects us but the industry as a whole, such as private breeders and pet stores, in addition to the general public. Please invite your local pet store owners, etc.. Please take the time to invite your local Delegate and Senator, they are all in Richmond right now. We need someone to step up to the plate as door greeters for name tags and sign in sheet. Plus we need someone for the secretary duty, any volunteers. Volunteers are needed for clean up afterward. RSVP please to bearpathacres@aol.com, Sorry but high speed Internet is not one of those things that is available in my area, so Cc everybody at one time is impossible. We need to get an approximate head count for name tags. Remember this is not a witch hunt, this is a meeting of the great minds of Virginia. Put your thinking cap on and leave your punching bags at home! So mark your calenders and we will see on Tuesday at 11:00. Discovery UMC 13000 Gayton Road Richmond, Va. 23233 (one mile down Lauderdale from the main entrance of Short Pump Towne Center, just off I-64)

RE: Oppose SB 477 and HB 1242 in VA	Reply
by go_topless on January 22, 2012	Mail this to a friend!
http://www.vaherps.com/t1019-update-sb477-meeting-other-important-info#9575 Here's some more info about Tuesday's Meeting in Richmond regarding SB477. I was asked to pass this new info along to anyone interested. From Debbie Jeter: I am meeting with a Democratic Stratagist today, she is going to go over everything we need to do to beat these bills. I am told we may have a special guest appearance also. I will share what I was told at Tuesday's meeting. The 2 things that I know already: 1. You need to send hard copy letters to each Delegate and Senator, yes, 140. I guess they want us to support the postal service. I will have their address on Tuesday, if you need them. 2. They want an emergency plan. What would you do if an animal escaped? So start thing and writing it on paper. This will probably be the last email from me until we meet on Tuesday. Today is booked with meetings and Monday is booked trying to put the meeting on paper. So, I hope to see you all on Tuesday! No one has stepped up to the plate to help with the administrative duties. Someone needs to speak up and help! Have a great day! Debbie Jeter CEO/ Founder Bear Path Aces 757-516-8774

RE: Oppose SB 477 and HB 1242 in VA	Reply
by go_topless on January 23, 2012	Mail this to a friend!
Update!!! HB 1242 has been referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources. Here is a list of who is on the committee and contact info. Please start making phone calls, sending mails, mailing letters, and blowing up fax machines in opposition to HB 1242. Be sure to call, email, and fax more than once, everyday if you can. Delegate Beverly J. Sherwood (Chair) General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1029 Fax: (804) 698-6729 Email: DelBSherwood@house.virginia.gov Delegate R. Lee Ware, Jr. General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1065 Fax: (804) 698-6765 Email: DelLWare@house.virginia.gov Delegate Thomas C. Wright, Jr. General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1061 Fax: (804) 698-6761 Email: DelTWright@house.virginia.gov Delegate Robert D. Orrock, Sr. General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1054 Fax: (804) 698-6754 Email: DelBOrrock@house.virginia.gov Delegate Edward T. Scott (Vice Chair) General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1030 Fax: (804) 698-6730 Email: DelEScott@house.virginia.gov Delegate Robert G. Marshall General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1013 Fax: (804) 698-6713 Email: DelBMarshall@house.virginia.gov Delegate Charles D. Poindexter General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1009 Fax: (804) 698-6709 Email: DelCPoindexter@house.virginia.gov Delegate Brenda L. Pogge General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1096 Fax: (804) 698-1196 Email: DelBPogge@house.virginia.gov Delegate Barry D. Knight General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1081 Fax: (804) 698-6781 Email: DelBKnight@house.virginia.gov Delegate James E. Edmunds, II General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1060 Fax: (804) 698-6760 Email: DelJEdmunds@house.virginia.gov Delegate Tony O. Wilt General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1026 Fax: (804) 698-6726 Email: DelTWilt@house.virginia.gov Delegate James W. (Will) Morefield General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1003 Fax: (804) 698-6703 Email: DelJMorefield@house.virginia.gov Delegate Michael J. Webert General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1018 Fax: (804) 698-6718 Email: DelMWebert@house.virginia.gov Delegate Margaret B. Ransone General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1099 Fax: (804) 786-6310 Email: DelMRansone@house.virginia.gov Delegate C. Matthew Fariss General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1059 Fax: (804) 698-6759 Email: DelMFariss@house.virginia.gov Delegate Kenneth R. Plum General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1036 Fax: (804) 698-6736 Email: DelKPlum@house.virginia.gov Delegate Lynwood W. Lewis, Jr General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1000 Fax: (804) 698-6700 Email: DelLLewis@house.virginia.gov Delegate David L. Bulova General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1037 Fax: (804) 698-6737 Email: DelDBulova@house.virginia.gov Delegate Mark D. Sickles General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1043 Fax: (804) 698-6743 Email: DelMSickles@house.virginia.gov Delegate David L. Englin General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1045 Fax: (804) 698-6745 Email: DelDEnglin@house.virginia.gov Delegate Matthew James General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1080 Fax: (804) 698-6780 Email: DelMJames@house.virginia.gov Delegate Luke E. Torian General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1052 Fax: (804) 698-6752 Email: DelLTorian@house.virginia.gov

RE: Oppose SB 477 and HB 1242 in VA	Reply
by go_topless on January 24, 2012	Mail this to a friend!
We had a decent turn out at the Exotic Animal Keepers meeting in Richmond today with some big names in the herp community showing up. Michael Maddox of PIJAC attended the meeting and offered a wealth of great information on how to proceed with our efforts. The whole meeting was very informative and everyone had valuable input. We need to proceed as a community and take action that will be effective in getting these proposed Bills withdrawn. The following points are listed in order of what was determined to be the most effective approach to reaching our goal. • The number one best thing you can do is: EVERYTHING listed below. • make an appointment with Delegate Christopher K Peace (patron who introduced HB 1242) General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218 Phone: (804) 698-1097 Fax: (804) 698-6797 Email: DelCPeace@house.virginia.gov Room Number: 527 And Senator L. Louise Lucas (patron who introduced SB 477) Senate of Virginia P.O. Box 396 Richmond, VA 23218 Email: district18@senate.virginia.gov Phone: (804) 698-7518 Fax: (804) 698-7651 Room No: 426 With a hand written letter in hand. • Also very effective is: make an appointment to meet with each member of the committee with a hand written letter addressed to each committee member in hand. Be sure to be polite and well dressed. Even if the person you are meeting with doesn’t agree with what you have to say, be sure to stay calm and represent the herp community in a positive manner. • Ask friends, family, and co-workers to join you and spend a few hours in Richmond and lobby against both bills. It’s best to make appointments, but if time doesn’t allow for appointments or you are not able to get an appointment with any, than stop in each office and speak with members staff. Again with letters in hand. • Write letters (hand written letters carry the most weight) to each member on each committee, Delegate Christopher K Peace, and Senator L. Louise Lucas. Letters should be in your own words and no more than one page. Letters don’t need to be long, a short and to the point letter is fine. Be sure you check your spelling, be respectful and polite. If you are typing your letter be sure to hand sign them. Mailing and hand delivering letters will hold more weight than emailing or faxing them. Try to avoid form letters as they carry little to no weight. Using form letters as a guide to writing your letters in fine, but be sure your letter is in your own words so it appears more personal. • Make phone calls to each member on each committee, Delegate Christopher K Peace, and Senator L. Louise Lucas. • Petitions carry little to no weight. Our first goal is to get Delegate Christopher K Peace, and Senator L. Louise to retract their proposed Bills before the committees meet to hear them. It is very important to set appointments and get letters out as soon as possible. If we don’t meet our first goal then the next goal is to have the proposed Bills dismissed by the committees or convince them to send the proposed Bills to scientific study (scientific study would buy us a year). To achieve this we need as many people as possible to be ready to show up at the public hearing with little notice (the hearing dates and time are only posted 24-48 hours before the hearing). We have people who are prepared to speak, but still need bodies to show our numbers as a community. Things to keep in mind When you meet with Senators and Delegates be prepared to include escape protocols (they what to know what we would do in the event of a escape). Be sure to back up any claims you make with facts that you can prove. Be professional in every possible way. We want them to view our community as professional and responsible. Even if you don’t own any species on these proposed Bills, get involved now. Just because the species you keep isn’t on the proposed Bills now, doesn’t mean they can’t be added if these Bills get passed. Many other states passed bans that only started with a few species, but now are adding new species every year. When communicating (in letters or person) with the Senators and Delegates about these proposed Bills, let them know that you opposed to the proposed Bills as they are written, but would be open to a reasonable permit process. This shows we as a community are responsible, reasonable and willing to work on a solution. Lastly we all need to come together as a community and support each other. Don’t set back and hope everyone else will fight this. We all need to do our part.

RE: Oppose SB 477 and HB 1242 in VA	Reply
by go_topless on January 25, 2012	Mail this to a friend!
A group of us are going to be in Richmond tomorrow to lobby in opposition to Virginia SB 477 and HB 1242. Join us in the fight to keep doing what we love. This will be a great time to meet some fellow keepers from all over Virginia and should make for a great day. Bring your friends and family if you like, all are welcome. We'll be meeting at 7 am in the parking lot of: Discovery UMC 13000 Gayton Road Richmond, Va. 23233 For more info. please contact: David Means 540-829-9846 540-219-5792 dvmeans@hotmail.com

RE: Oppose SB 477 and HB 1242 in VA	Reply
by go_topless on January 27, 2012	Mail this to a friend!
Here is and update on our trip to Richmond to lobby against HB 1242 and SB 477. We only had a dozen people show up. Very disappointing considering the HSUS and ASPCA were there in full force with three times as many people. We met with a few delegates and aides, some meetings were positive while others not so much. Most hadn’t even read the Bill. If we are going keep our rights to own these animals, we are going to have to step it up people. I know people have jobs, but so do the people that showed up to lobby for our rights,. If we want to win this fight, sacrifices need to be made. I took my 12 year old daughter out of school so she could learn how our government works. I was surprised at how interested the delegates and aides were in my daughters feelings on the Bills. At times they seemed more interested in what she had to say than us adults. I encourage everyone to take a day off early next week and go to the Capital with your children (if you have any) and lobby against these Bills. Once the Bills get passed, it will be too late to do anything. The time to do something is now. Get letters out, have your children write letters as well. If these Bills pass we’ll lose our rights to keep these animals in Virginia forever. I really don’t think most people understand what really is at stake here. People could lose pets, breeding stock, jobs, and businesses. There are still many keepers that have no idea about what is going on so we need to get the word out.

Page 1 of 1

Next Topic: Claxton Roundup to end the slaughter
Previous Topic: Virginia House Bill HB 1242

Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.

Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help

Check our help page for help using , or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the Manager.

Click to join the SHHS eMail list