HB 5012 — AN ACT PROHIBITING THE PRACTICE OF SHARK FINNING.

House of Representatives General Assembly CommitteeFile Bill No.

501250 January Session, 2025 LCOHouse Bill No.

35385012 ReferredHouse toof Representatives, March 6, 2025 The Committee on ENVIRONMENTEnvironment Introducedreported by:through REP.

(ENV)PARKER ANof ACTthe PROHIBITING101st THEDist., PRACTICEChairperson OFof SHARKthe FINNING.Committee on the part of the House, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT PROHIBITING THE PRACTICE OF SHARK FINNING.

(d)HB5012 Notwithstanding/ theFile provisions of subsection (b) of this section, LCO 3538 1 of 2 Committee Bill No.

501250 the1 DepartmentHB5012 ofFile EnergyNo. and Environmental Protection may issue a permit for the possession of shark fins for scientific research or educational purposes.

50 (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection may issue a permit for the possession of shark fins for scientific research or educational purposes.

Section 1 October 1, 2025 New section ENV Joint Favorable LCOHB5012 3538/ 2File ofNo. 2

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50 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 26 $ FY 27 $ Department of Energy and GF – Potential Less than Less than Environmental Protection Revenue Gain 500 500 Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill results in a potential revenue gain to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), beginning in FY 26, associated with the prohibition of shark finning.

The revenue gain to DEEP may result from 1) infraction revenue (as a violation of the bill’s provisions) or 2) any research or educational permits issued by DEEP.

The potential revenue gain is anticipated to be less than $500 annually.

The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to the number of infractions and permits.

HB5012 / File No.

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50 OLR Bill Analysis HB 5012 AN ACT PROHIBITING THE PRACTICE OF SHARK FINNING.

SUMMARY This bill generally bans possessing, selling, offering for sale, trading, or distributing a shark fin.

It makes a violation an infraction.

(An infraction is not a crime, and a person may pay any associated fine by mail or plead not guilty in accordance with state law.) The bill exempts from its ban people holding a license or permit to take or land sharks if they separate a fin or tail from a lawfully landed shark when preparing the shark’s body for consumption, sale, trade, or distribution.

This applies as long as they immediately destroy the fin or tail or use it for personal consumption or taxidermy.

Additionally, the bill allows the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to issue a permit to possess shark fins for scientific research or educational purposes.

Under the bill, “shark” excludes rays and smooth-hound sharks.

A “shark fin” is a raw, dried, or processed fin or tail that is separated from a shark’s body.

Existing regulations prohibit taking, possessing, selling, exchanging, or offering for sale or exchange any of a specified list of sharks, which does not include smooth-hound sharks (Conn.

Agencies Regs., § 26- 159a-1(e)).

EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2025 HB5012 / File No.

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50 COMMITTEE ACTION Environment Committee Joint Favorable Yea 35 Nay 0 (02/19/2025) HB5012 / File No.

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