FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
RULE NO.: RULE TITLE:
68A-6.007: Possession, Transportation, Exhibition and Caging Venomous Reptiles and Reptiles of Concern
NOTICE OF CHANGE
Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 42, No. 201, (October 14, 2016), issue of the Florida Administrative Register.
68A-6.007 Possession, Transportation, Exhibition and Caging Venomous Reptiles and Reptiles of Concern
(1) through (2) No change.
(3) Experience requirements: Applicants for authorization to possess venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern shall meet the following experience requirements.
(a) Venomous reptiles: Any person or entity not currently permitted to possess or exhibit venomous reptiles must qualify for a permit by meeting the following criteria:
1. No change.
2. If the applicant is unable to document such experience, as an alternative the applicant may take a written examination. The successful completion of a written examination for the particular species or family, administered by the Division of Law Enforcement, together with the documentation of not less than 500 hours of substantial practical experience in the care, feeding, handling and husbandry of the species or family for which the permit is sought may be substituted for the one year/1,000-hour requirement. Applicants scoring at least 80 percent correct on the examination shall be deemed as meeting the examination requirement for the particular species or family.
a (I). Examinations shall be completed without the use of any reference materials or other resources during the examination. Improper access to or use of any information or material that is not specifically condoned by the Commission for use in the examination shall be considered submission of materially false information in the application or other supporting documentation relating to the license, permit or other authorization.
b (II). Applicants who fail to pass the written examination after two (2) attempts shall wait six (6) months from the date of the last examination to retake the examination.
3. through 4. No change.
(b). No change.
(4) Facility requirements: All persons licensed to keep, possess, or exhibit venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern shall provide safe, secure and proper enclosures for said reptiles. Primary enclosures shall be housed within appropriate secondary containment which meets the requirements of this rule. It shall be unlawful for any person whether licensed or not to keep, possess, or exhibit any venomous reptile or reptile of concern in any manner not approved as safe, secure and proper by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern shall be kept in primary enclosures of the following specifications:
(a) through (c) No change.
(d) The amendments to the facility requirements in subsection (4) of this rule shall be effective December 31, 2016, but shall not apply to those facilities licensed to possess venomous reptiles prior to that date. Facilities licensed to possess venomous reptiles prior to December 31, 2016, shall have until January 1, 2018 2019, to come into compliance with the amendments to subsection (4) of this rule, but their enclosures must be structurally sound and escape-proof. After December 31, 2016, those licensees that desire to expand their inventory to include a family of venomous reptile species not previously authorized at their facility location shall comply with the amended requirements of subsection (4) of this rule.
(5) through (12) No change.
