South Carolina Home Invoice 3937 (H3937) was launched on Feb. 6, 2025 by Consultant Hixon. It’ll ban venomous reptiles (record under). The invoice makes it unlawful to import into, possess, hold, buy, have custody or management of, reproduce, or promote inside this State. Present house owners can get permits and should register their animals inside 90 days of the efficient date. Permits should be renewed each three years and the fee is $150. Exemptions (however allow nonetheless required) apply to:
- Public services at a set facility which are open to the general public for a time of at least thirty hours per week for no less than six months per yr; and
- for bona fide analysis functions, licensed medical or pharmaceutical services, establishments of upper studying, or different related establishments on the division’s discretion.
Venomous reptiles banned, together with hybrids: households Elapidae, Crotalidae, Viperidae, and Hydrophiidae; all reptiles within the genus Heloderma; all reptiles within the household Colubridae belonging to the genera: Rhabdophis, Balanophis, Macropisthodon, Boiga, Dispholidus, Thelotornis, and Thrasops, and all reptiles within the household Atractaspididae.
King cobra is the most important venomous snake on this planet. Picture by Heiko Kiera/Shutterstock
You may learn the invoice and get extra particulars at https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/payments/3937.htm. It was referred to the Home Committee on Agriculture, Pure Assets, and Environmental Affairs.
Pattern Letter (be civil {and professional})
South Carolina residents could electronic mail your complete Committee at https://www.scstatehouse.gov/electronic mail.php?T=C&C=H2000000050.
Electronic mail Rep. Hixon at https://www.scstatehouse.gov/electronic mail.php?T=M&C=849715808.
It’s possible you’ll electronic mail every Committee Member by clicking their names at https://www.scstatehouse.gov/CommitteeInfo/HouseAgriculture/.
electronic mail record: BillHixon@schouse.gov, BillHixon@schouse.gov, elliehayes@scsenate.gov, HeatherBauer@schouse.gov, robertreese@schouse.gov, Pamelamack@schouse.gov, AnnieMcDaniel@schouse.gov, Marysmith@schouse.gov, LucasAtkinson@schouse.gov, PatrickHaddon@schouse.gov, DavidHiott@schouse.gov, DanielGibson@schouse.gov, MikeBurns@schouse.gov, RJMay@schouse.gov, sandrabryan@schouse.gov, BillChumley@schouse.gov, MikeNeese@schouse.gov, AlanMorgan@schouse.gov, lukerankin@schouse.gov, CalForrest@schouse.gov, sandrabryan@schouse.gov, RobHarris@schouse.gov, charleshartz@schouse.gov, Lucyscoville@scsenate.gov, AprilCromer@schouse.gov
electronic mail topic line: H3937 Wants Amendments
Consultant Hixon and Agriculture, Pure Assets and Environmental Affairs Committee Members,
I’m a South Carolina resident and accountable animal proprietor who desires adjustments made to Home Invoice 3937, which bans venomous reptiles. The launched model is unjust, overreaching, and yet one more type of collective punishment that punishes accountable individuals as a result of actions of 1 individual. This invoice creates a allow for venomous reptiles, but it surely solely permits present house owners to get a allow and hold their present animals. Breeding, gross sales to different permittees or states, and future permits aren’t allowed aside from a few exceptions. Compliance with the caging and reporting necessities within the invoice ought to enable breeding and gross sales for devoted, accountable, and permitted house owners. The invoice may very well be amended simply to permit invested individuals to proceed their companies.
Moreover, the genus Heloderma shouldn’t be included on this ban. These lizard species aren’t as regarding because the listed venomous snakes. The identical is true for the Boiga genus of snakes, which also needs to be eliminated.
Please amend H3937 to permit good keepers to proceed working with these animals by means of regulation and a allow course of, or cease it altogether. The caging and reporting necessities will defend biosecurity and public security. Thanks, and have day.
YOUR NAME and SC metropolis or zip code
