This year, several states have bills introduced or pending. Here is a status, including an Action Alert for New York State residents. While the bills differ in language, they all seek to ban the possession, sale, and distribution of shark fins (with exemptions for possession in limited circumstances).

New York

Join us for Lobby Day: Wednesday, April 18 in Albany

Please join Shark Savers at next Wednesday, April 18th’s 2012 New York State Humane Lobby Day in Albany, where we will join The Humane Society of the United States to urge New York state legislators to protect sharks from the shark fin trade and population depletion.

The event is for New York state residents only. We will join HSUS supporters to advocate for sharks as part of the broader HSUS platform where they will argue for a range of humane issues such as animal fighting and factory farming.

To register and to learn more about the event, please visit http://bit.ly/NYlobbyday2012
Chartered buses will leave from NYC to Albany, to reserve a seat on the buses, please register at http://bit.ly/nycbuses

New Yorkers who can’t attend lobby day:

Please contacting your state legislators in support of the currently pending bill, A.7707a/S.6431, learn more here.

Especially needed is more support in the Environmental Conservation Committees of the two legislative bodies. These committees are the first stage of passing the bill. If your Assembly Member or Senator is in this Committee, please contact them immediately.

Not a New Yorker? Please share this message with everyone you know in New York and urge them to take part in next week’s lobby day and contact their legislators! 

Illinois

Shark Fin bill H.B. 4119, introduced by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, which would ban the possession, sale, trade and distribution of shark fins passed on March 8 by a vote of 81-33. The bill now is waiting to be considered by the Senate, where Sen. Antonio Muñoz, D-Chicago, is sponsoring the bill.

Maryland

Unfortunately, the shark fin bill was tabled for the year after a strong start. S.B. 465 was introduced by Senator Brian Frosh, D-Montgomery and passed the Senate with a bipartisan vote of 42 to 4 on March 22.

As it moved to the House, it met with opposition by Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in response to the Midatlantic Fisheries, as well as the Ocean City Restaurant Association and Watermen's Association. In Maryland, the legislative session ended on April 9^th, with little time to overcome those objections. The Chairwoman of the House Environmental Matters Committee pulled the bill for this year and it will be considered again next year. Assurances have been provided that the DNR will pursue a solution with the Midatlantic Fisheries, the main force opposing the bill.

New Jersey

S-1764 / A-2719 has been introduced, but there is not yet anything to report.