Species Bill of 2005

[Filuwaúrdjan]

As introduced by Senator MasterJedi:

Species Bill of 2005

1. Endangered and Threatened Species
   a. Atlasia hereby recognizes the Endangered and Threatened Species List of animals and plants, as compiled by the Atlasian Fish and Wildlife Service.
   b. Any individual wishing to import into Atlasia an organism of a species that appears on one of these lists shall first purchase from the AFWS a permit for this purpose at a cost of $10,000 for each organism imported.
   c. This fee shall be waived for any zoo or zoological society, as defined and satisfactorily inspected by the AFWS.
   d. If an organism of an endangered or threatened species is proved in a court of law to have been intentionally killed or died as the direct result of treatment by the party applying for an importation permit, said offender shall pay a fine of $100,000 on the first offense, $200,000 for the second offense, and $500,000 for the third offense.
   e. Any entity proved in a court of law to have imported an organism of an endangered or threatened species without first securing an importation permit shall be fined $100,000 on the first offense, $200,000 for the second offense, and $500,000 for the third offense.

2. Invasive Species
   a. Atlasia hereby recognizes invasive species as a threat to the nation’s environmental resources.
   b. An invasive species shall be defined as any non-native plant or animal that disrupts or destroys the natural state of the environment.
   c. Only zoos or zoological societies shall be permitted to import invasive species into the U.S.
   d. Any such organisms imported per the provisions of Section 2c of this act shall not be sold to other parties within Atlasia.
   e. Any entity other than those provided for in Section 2d found in a court of law to have knowingly imported in an invasive species shall pay a fine of $100,000 on the first offense, $200,000 for the second offense, and $500,000 for the third offense.

3. Species Tracker
   a. The Atlasian Fish and Wildlife Service shall create a computer system to track the import and export of endangered, threatened, and invasive species into and out of Atlasia.  This system is required to keep on file information identifying each violator
   b. Any endangered, threatened, or invasive species import or export must be reported the Atlasian Fish and Wildlife Service.
   c. Any individual, company, zoo or zoological society that currently has endangered, threatened, or invasive species shall within two years report all of said species to Atlasia’s Fish and Wildlife Service to be logged in the computer system.

I hereby open debate on this bill

[The Dowager Mod]

Why are we not working on important legislation?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'm just introducing the bills in the order they were [I think] introduced. We should be able to get quite a lot through over the next few days...

[MasterJedi]

I introduced this in August, Q helped me edit it so it had to be re-introduced so I believe this has been in here the longest although I do think we should get on with the important legislation.

Anyway I have a small amendment (well kinda). And if it's possible to have those added without voting that would be good as well. :

1. d. for the third and each following offense.

1. e. for the third and each following offense.

2. e. for the third and each following offense.

[Ebowed]

I don't like Section 3.

It says the records are necessary to keep track of violators, but everyone who wants to keep endangered animals around regardless of violation status has to have their data logged by this government computer system.

[Joe Republic]

Seems like a very well-intentioned bill.  I applaud Senator MasterJedi for his continuing work to preserve the environment.

[MasterJedi]

So if nobody has any problems with my amendment(s) could we possibly get a vote soon or just have it added?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The slightly re-fiddled bill...

Species Bill of 2005

1. Endangered and Threatened Species
   a. Atlasia hereby recognizes the Endangered and Threatened Species List of animals and plants, as compiled by the Atlasian Fish and Wildlife Service.
   b. Any individual wishing to import into Atlasia an organism of a species that appears on one of these lists shall first purchase from the AFWS a permit for this purpose at a cost of $10,000 for each organism imported.
   c. This fee shall be waived for any zoo or zoological society, as defined and satisfactorily inspected by the AFWS.
   d. If an organism of an endangered or threatened species is proved in a court of law to have been intentionally killed or died as the direct result of treatment by the party applying for an importation permit, said offender shall pay a fine of $100,000 on the first offense, $200,000 for the second offense, and $500,000 d. for the third and each following offense.
   e. Any entity proved in a court of law to have imported an organism of an endangered or threatened species without first securing an importation permit shall be fined $100,000 on the first offense, $200,000 for the second offense, and $500,000 d. for the third and each following offense.

2. Invasive Species
   a. Atlasia hereby recognizes invasive species as a threat to the nation’s environmental resources.
   b. An invasive species shall be defined as any non-native plant or animal that disrupts or destroys the natural state of the environment.
   c. Only zoos or zoological societies shall be permitted to import invasive species into the U.S.
   d. Any such organisms imported per the provisions of Section 2c of this act shall not be sold to other parties within Atlasia.
   e. Any entity other than those provided for in Section 2d found in a court of law to have knowingly imported in an invasive species shall pay a fine of $100,000 on the first offense, $200,000 for the second offense, and $500,000 d. for the third and each following offense.

3. Species Tracker
   a. The Atlasian Fish and Wildlife Service shall create a computer system to track the import and export of endangered, threatened, and invasive species into and out of Atlasia.  This system is required to keep on file information identifying each violator
   b. Any endangered, threatened, or invasive species import or export must be reported the Atlasian Fish and Wildlife Service.
   c. Any individual, company, zoo or zoological society that currently has endangered, threatened, or invasive species shall within two years report all of said species to Atlasia’s Fish and Wildlife Service to be logged in the computer system.

I call a vote on this bill

[MasterJedi]

Didn't mean vote on the whole bill, I meant on the amendment(s) that I introduced.

Well I guess we can let the vote go unless somebody complains and wants to talk it over more.


Aye

[Filuwaúrdjan]

To be honest it seemed like a waste of the Senate's time to vote aye or nay on the addition of the words "and each following offense"... normally I'd do a vote on that anyway, but time is not on the Senate's side right now.

oh...

Aye

[Ebowed]

Assuming we're voting on the final passage:

Nay

Forking over $100,000 if you kill an endangered lichen plant seems like overkill (no pun intended) if you ask me.

[Gabu]

Forking over $100,000 if you kill an endangered lichen plant seems like overkill (no pun intended) if you ask me.

It says "knowingly"; presumably, if you had no idea it was endangered, this would not apply.

Anyways... aye.

[Emsworth]

Forking over $100,000 if you kill an endangered lichen plant seems like overkill (no pun intended) if you ask me.

It says "knowingly"; presumably, if you had no idea it was endangered, this would not apply.

I would have thought that it refers to knowingly killing the plant, rather than accidentally killing it. Presumably, whether one knows that it was endangered is irrelevant if one intentionally kills it.

[Ebowed]

Forking over $100,000 if you kill an endangered lichen plant seems like overkill (no pun intended) if you ask me.

It says "knowingly"

What I said still applies.  Killing a threatened or endangered plant shouldn't warrant a fine of $100,000.

The list that the bill links to lists several types of categories, as well as separate designations of "threatened" and "endangered."  Giving them all the same penalties doesn't look well-thought-out.

[Platypus]

Nay on final passage

[MAS117]

Abstain

[Jake]

Aye on final passage.

[PBrunsel]

Aye

[MasterJedi]

5 Aye
2 Nay
1 Abstain

Yay, it passes!

[The Dowager Mod]

Aye

[DanielX]

Nay. I like Ebowed',s argument. This bill is crazy, and will result in more wacky government bulls***.

[Bono]

Please, Mr. President, veto this.

[Platypus]

Whilst I am an environmentalist, this bill has some obvious flaws. I suggest, Joe, that you veto it, and to Jedi, I ask that he introduces a similar bill with less problems.

[MasterJedi]

I strongly urge the President to sign this bill and if he must I'll do a few changes and introduce it again.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

This bill has passed. Senators have a certain amount of time to change their votes and so on...