Article 1. General Provisions  

    (510 ILCS 68/1-1)
    Sec. 1-1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Herptiles-Herps Act.
(Source: P.A. 98-752, eff. 1-1-15.)

    (510 ILCS 68/1-5)
    Sec. 1-5. Purpose. For purposes of this Act, reptiles and amphibians shall be exempt from the definition of "aquatic life" under Section 1-20 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code. All rules and enforcement actions under the Illinois Conservation Law and the dangerous animals provisions in Section 48-10 of the Criminal Code of 2012 related to reptiles and amphibians shall be covered exclusively by this Act.
(Source: P.A. 98-752, eff. 1-1-15.)

    (510 ILCS 68/1-10)
    Sec. 1-10. Administrative agency. This Act shall be administered and under the direction of the Department of Natural Resources.
(Source: P.A. 98-752, eff. 1-1-15.)

    (510 ILCS 68/1-15)
    Sec. 1-15. Definitions. For the purposes of this Act, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following terms are defined as:
    "Administrative rule" means a regulatory measure issued by the Director under this Act.
    "Authorized law enforcement officer" means all sworn members of the Law Enforcement Division of the Department and those persons specifically granted law enforcement authorization by the Director.
    "Bona fide scientific or educational institution" means confirming educational or scientific tax-exemption, from the federal Internal Revenue Service or the applicant's national, state, or local tax authority, or a statement of accreditation or recognition as an educational institution.
    "Contraband" means all reptile or amphibian life or any part of reptile or amphibian life taken, bought, sold or bartered, shipped, or held in possession or any conveyance, vehicle, watercraft, or other means of transportation whatsoever, except sealed railroad cars or other sealed common carriers, used to transport or ship any reptile or amphibian life or any part of reptile or amphibian life taken, contrary to this Act, including administrative rules, or used to transport, contrary to this Act, including administrative rules, any of the specified species when taken illegally.
    "Culling" means picking out from others and removing rejected members because of inferior quality.
    "Department" means the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
    "Director" means the Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
    "Educational program" means a program of organized instruction or study for providing education intended to meet a public need.
    "Endangered or threatened species" means any species listed as endangered or threatened to the species level on either the Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Fauna or the federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service List of Threatened and Endangered Species.
    "Herptile" means collectively any amphibian or reptile taxon, whether indigenous to this State or not.
    "Indigenous or native taxa" means those amphibians and reptiles to the subspecies level that can be found naturally in this State.
    "Individual" means a natural person.
    "Medically significant" means a venomous or poisonous species whose venom or toxin can cause death or serious illness or injury in humans that may require emergency room care or the immediate care of a physician. These species are categorized as being "medically significant" or "medically important".
    "Owner" means an individual who has a legal right to the possession of a herptile.
    "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, organization, trade or professional association, firm, limited liability company, joint venture, or group.
    "Possession limit" means the maximum number or amount of herptiles that can be lawfully held or possessed by one person at any time.
    "Possessor" means any person who possesses, keeps, harbors, brings into the State, cares for, acts as a custodian for, has in his or her custody or control, or holds a property right to a herptile.
    "Reptile show" means any event open to the public, for a fee or without a fee, that is not a licensed pet store, where herptiles or herptiles together with other animals are exhibited, displayed, sold, bought, traded, or otherwise made available for public display.
    "Resident" means a person who in good faith makes application for any license or permit and verifies by statement that he or she has maintained his or her permanent abode in this State for a period of at least 30 consecutive days immediately preceding the person's application, and who does not maintain permanent abode or claim residency in another state for the purposes of obtaining any of the same or similar licenses or permits under this Act. A person's permanent abode is his or her fixed and permanent dwelling place, as distinguished from a temporary or transient place of residence. Domiciliary intent is required to establish that the person is maintaining his or her permanent abode in this State. Evidence of domiciliary intent includes, but is not limited to, the location where the person votes, pays personal income tax, or obtains a drivers license. Any person on active duty in the Armed Forces shall be considered a resident of Illinois during his or her period of military duty.
    "Special use herptile" means any taxon of amphibian or reptile for which a Herptile Special Use permit is required.
    "Take" means possess, collect, catch, detain, hunt, shoot, pursue, lure, kill, destroy, capture, gig or spear, trap or ensnare, harass, or an attempt to do so.
    "Transport" or "ship" means to convey by parcel post, express, freight, baggage, or shipment by common carrier or any description; by automobile, motorcycle, or other vehicle of any kind; by water or aircraft of any kind; or by any other means of transportation.
    "Turtle farming" means the act of breeding, hatching, raising, selling turtles, or any combination commercially for the purpose of providing turtles, turtle eggs, or turtle parts to pet suppliers, exporters, and food industries.
    "Wildlife sanctuary" means any non-profit organization that: (1) is exempt from taxation under the federal Internal Revenue Code and is currently confirmed as tax exempt by the federal Internal Revenue Service; (2) operates a place of refuge where wild animals are provided care for their lifetime or released back to their natural range; (3) does not conduct activities on animals in its possession that are not inherent to the animal's nature; (4) does not use animals in its possession for entertainment; (5) does not sell, trade, or barter animals in its possession or parts of those animals; and (6) does not breed animals in its possession.
(Source: P.A. 98-752, eff. 1-1-15.)