BILL NUMBER: S6272

SPONSOR: SAVINO
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the general business law, in relation
to prohibiting municipalities from banning the sale of fur garments

 
PURPOSE:

Prohibits municipalities from banning the sale of fur garments

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Amends the general business law by adding a new section 399-aaaa -
making it unlawful for any municipality to enact any law, rule regu-
lation imposing a ban on the sale, offer to sell, display for sale,
trading, giving, donation, or otherwise distribution of a fur garment by
any means.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

              

New York State has a rich history based on the fur trade. Our state
mammal, the beaver - once nearly driven out by pollution, habitat loss
and hunting - has now been restored to healthy population levels. Beav-
ers were even spotted in the Bronx in 2007 and 2010.

According to The Fur Information Council of America, there are approxi-
mately 1100 retailers and 100 manufacturers in the U.S. Most (85%) are
small, family-run businesses, which have been passed from generation to
generation. In the global fur market, the U.S. ranks among the top coun-
tries for retail fur sales. Other top countries include Italy, Russia
and China.

U.S. fur sales were $1.5 billion in 2014, a 7.3 per cent increase over
2013. If fur, fur trim and accessories sales through designer and fash-
ion boutiques, ski/sporting goods boutiques, luxury shoe stores, depart-
ment stores and online retail sites are factored in total fur sales
would be substantially higher.

More people buy fur in New York than any other city, followed closely by
Chicago. Other top fur markets in order of retail sales are Philadelp-
hia, Los Angeles, Washington D.C./Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, Cleveland,
Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Francisco, Milwaukee and Seattle.

With over $L5 billion in retail sales, the fur industry makes a substan-
tial contribution to the U.S. economy. The fur industry in the U.S.
provides full-time employment for over 32,000 workers and seasonal or
part-time employment for an additional 155,000+ workers.  Over 12,500
workers in fields such as marketing, banking and insurance also owe
their livelihood in part to the fur industry.

Endangered species are never used by the fur industry. In fact, the
industry is a strong supporter of CITES and all laws protecting endan-
gered species. Only abundant furbearing populations are used today.

From NYS Department of Environmental Conservation on Trapping in NYS:
New York State is one of the nation's top producers of wild furs for the
commercial fur trade. New York City remains a center for the production
and marketing of fur garments. Trapping provides important benefits to
New Yorkers including:
- the control of nuisance damage,
- economic benefits to trappers and people involved in the fur industry,
  and recreation to trappers.

The 14 species of furbearing animals in New York are abundant and their
populations are secure. DEC regulates trapping seasons to ensure the
continued security of New York's furbearer populations.

Trappers must complete a mandatory trapper education course to obtain a
trapping license. There are about 10,000 trappers in New York. This
number varies depending on the year and fur market conditions.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019 Session - New Bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Loss to State of over 1,000 jobs and over $3.5 billion in sales

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately