Feeble Attempt to Make the Species Bill Slightly More Reasonable Bill

[Ebowed]

Feeble Attempt to Make the Species Bill Slightly More Reasonable Bill

The text of the Species Bill of 2005 is hereby stricken and replaced with:

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 $7,750 for each organism imported, assuming it is listed on the list of endangered or threatened "Vertebrate Animals."  For organisms on the "Invertebrate Animals" and "Flowering Plants," a license shall cost $3,500 per organism imported; for "Non-flowering Plants" a license shall cost $2,000 per 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 as defined by the following table:
First Offense
Threatened Species/Endangered Species
Vertebrate Animals ($15,000 / $40,000)
Invertebrate Animals ($5,000 / $10,000)
Flowering Plants ($3,500 / $7,500)
Non-flowering Plants ($2,000 / $6,000)

Second Offense
Threatened Species/Endangered Species
Vertebrate Animals ($30,000 / $80,000)
Invertebrate Animals ($10,000 / $20,000)
Flowering Plants ($7,000 / $15,000)
Non-flowering Plants ($4,000 / $12,000)

Third Offense
Threatened Species/Endangered Species
Vertebrate Animals ($45,000 / $120,000)
Invertebrate Animals ($15,000 / $30,000)
Flowering Plants ($10,500 / $22,500)
Non-flowering Plants ($6,000 / $18,000)

Any further offenses shall be fined as defined appropriate by the court.

   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 $15,000 per 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 Atlasia.
   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 $50,000 per offense.

3. Species Tracker
   a. The Atlasian Fish and Wildlife Service shall create a computer system to track the importation and exportation 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 is found in a court of law to be violating any sections of this bill shall within two years report all of owned endangered, threatened, and invasive species to Atlasia?s Fish and Wildlife Service to be logged in the computer system.
Sponsor: Sen. Al

[Emsworth]

This bill seems to be a very reasonable piece of legislation. The fines imposed by the Species Bill are, in my opinion, excessive. (Consider, for example, the fact that the fine for killing an orange-bellied parrot is higher than the fine for committing treason.)

[Platypus]

This bill seems to be a very reasonable piece of legislation. The fines imposed by the Species Bill are, in my opinion, excessive. (Consider, for example, the fact that the fine for killing an orange-bellied parrot is higher than the fine for committing treason.)

But treason doesn't always lead to the destruction of a soul of equal, or perhaps greater, value of that of any human.

[Emsworth]

But treason doesn't always lead to the destruction of a soul of equal, or perhaps greater, value of that of any human.

Surely, treason is a more severe crime than killing a bird, insofar as it poses a much greater threat to society.

But I am interested in learning why you believe that an orange-bellied parrot is of greater value than a human being.

[Platypus]

But treason doesn't always lead to the destruction of a soul of equal, or perhaps greater, value of that of any human.

Surely, treason is a more severe crime than killing a bird, insofar as it poses a much greater threat to society.

But I am interested in learning why you believe that an orange-bellied parrot is of greater value than a human being.

Is it not treasonous of us, as creatures of the planet earth, to so effectivelyu destroy the habitats of other creatures, such as the orange-bellied parrot? Is it not incomprehensibly wrong to value a flase construct over a life, a soul of nature's creation?

Humans are treasonous by very nature to the world. They are deceitful, they are arrogant. Parrots are good, they are innocent. Is it not worse to take an innocent life then to perhaps aid the deconstruction of an artificial construct, through a 'crime' that does not take any innocent life, nor, necessarily, and guilty life?

[Emsworth]

Is it not treasonous of us, as creatures of the planet earth, to so effectivelyu destroy the habitats of other creatures, such as the orange-bellied parrot? Is it not incomprehensibly wrong to value a flase construct over a life, a soul of nature's creation?

No, or not in my opinion, at least. Society is constructed to protect the rights of humans, and treason attempts to destroy that protection. Killing a bird does not affect the rights of humans, but treason does. And I happen to believe that the rights of humans are paramount, although you are of course free to disagree.

[Ebowed]

If for no other reason I would urge the Senate to pass this bill particularly due to the Section 3 requirement of the original bill implemented a far-reaching computer system which will be not be any help to our budget deficit, nor is it particularly fair to the persons who obtain these endangered animals by going through all of the legal processes with licenses and payments to be excessively tracked in this system.

The excessive fines imposed by the original bill are another concern, of course, but little attention has been paid to what Section 3 did.

[DanielX]

But treason doesn't always lead to the destruction of a soul of equal, or perhaps greater, value of that of any human.

Surely, treason is a more severe crime than killing a bird, insofar as it poses a much greater threat to society.

But I am interested in learning why you believe that an orange-bellied parrot is of greater value than a human being.

Is it not treasonous of us, as creatures of the planet earth, to so effectivelyu destroy the habitats of other creatures, such as the orange-bellied parrot? Is it not incomprehensibly wrong to value a flase construct over a life, a soul of nature's creation?

Humans are treasonous by very nature to the world. They are deceitful, they are arrogant. Parrots are good, they are innocent. Is it not worse to take an innocent life then to perhaps aid the deconstruction of an artificial construct, through a 'crime' that does not take any innocent life, nor, necessarily, and guilty life?

W T F? I hadn't pegged you a lunatic, Hugh. Oh well...

I didn't like the Species bill in the first place, and would favor repealing it outright, although this is clearly less bad.

[Ebowed]

Feeble Attempt to Make the Species Bill Slightly More Reasonable Bill

The text of the Species Bill of 2005 is hereby stricken and replaced with:

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 $7,750 for each organism imported, assuming it is listed on the list of endangered or threatened "Vertebrate Animals."  For organisms on the "Invertebrate Animals" and "Flowering Plants," a license shall cost $3,500 per organism imported; for "Non-flowering Plants" a license shall cost $2,000 per 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 as defined by the following table:
First Offense
Threatened Species/Endangered Species
Vertebrate Animals ($15,000 / $40,000)
Invertebrate Animals ($5,000 / $10,000)
Flowering Plants ($3,500 / $7,500)
Non-flowering Plants ($2,000 / $6,000)

Second Offense
Threatened Species/Endangered Species
Vertebrate Animals ($30,000 / $80,000)
Invertebrate Animals ($10,000 / $20,000)
Flowering Plants ($7,000 / $15,000)
Non-flowering Plants ($4,000 / $12,000)

Third Offense
Threatened Species/Endangered Species
Vertebrate Animals ($45,000 / $120,000)
Invertebrate Animals ($15,000 / $30,000)
Flowering Plants ($10,500 / $22,500)
Non-flowering Plants ($6,000 / $18,000)

Any further offenses shall be fined as defined appropriate by the court.

   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 $15,000 per 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 Atlasia.
   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 $50,000 per offense.

3. Species Tracker
   a. The Atlasian Fish and Wildlife Service shall create a computer system to track the importation and exportation 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 is found in a court of law to be violating any sections of this bill shall within two years report all of owned endangered, threatened, and invasive species to Atlasia?s Fish and Wildlife Service to be logged in the computer system.
The vote is on final passage.  Senators may vote Yea, Nay, or Abstain.

[Colin]

Aye

[CheeseWhiz]

Yup

[Gabu]

Aye.

[MasterJedi]

Abstain

[DanielX]

I would repeal the original bill, but Aye to making it less insane.

[Jake]

Nay

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Aye

[Ebowed]

The bill has enough votes to pass.  Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

[Ebowed]

With 5 yeas, 1 nay, and 1 abstention, the bill is passed and presented to the President for his signature.

[Joe Republic]