Protects canids by requiring animals which could be coyotes or wolves be submitted for a genetic test to determine genetic makeup; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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10461
IN SENATE
May 15, 2026
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Introduced by Sens. BOTTCHER, FERNANDEZ, HARCKHAM, JACKSON, KAVANAGH,
MARTINEZ, SERRANO, SKOUFIS, WEBB -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental
Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
protecting wolves; and providing for the repeal of such provisions
upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The environmental conservation law is amended by adding a
2 new section 11-0542 to read as follows:
3 § 11-0542. Protection of wolves.
4 1. All wild canids taken in the state shall be reported to the depart-
5 ment in a manner to be determined by the department. For purposes of
6 this section, "wild canids" shall mean coyotes and wolves, including
7 canids that when taken were thought to be coyotes but which subsequent
8 genetic analysis revealed to be wolves.
9 2. Wild canids that are taken, that have a weight greater than fifty
10 pounds or that meet additional criteria established by the department in
11 regulation, shall be submitted to the department, in a manner prescribed
12 by the department in regulation. Such regulations shall ensure the
13 anonymity of all personal identifying information, excluding information
14 relating to the location of taking. Wild canids submitted shall be
15 subject to genetic analysis, paid for by the department, to determine
16 the genetic composition of the animal. Such analysis shall be conducted
17 by a reputable laboratory that has prior experience genotyping hybri-
18 dized Canis populations in the eastern United States. The results of any
19 analysis performed shall promptly be provided to the public by posting
20 on the department's website.
21 3. The department may also accept for genetic analysis a wild canid
22 meeting the criteria in subdivision two of this section that is volun-
23 tarily submitted, in a manner prescribed by the department, to the
24 department by any person.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01452-11-6
S. 10461 2
1 4. In the event that the department determines, based on genetic anal-
2 ysis or other scientific method, that a wild canid taken or found in the
3 state is a wolf, the department shall determine the location where the
4 wolf was taken or found. In the event the department determines that
5 there is reasonable likelihood that there may be one or more additional
6 wolves in the vicinity where the wolf was taken or found, it may take or
7 institute such measures consistent with its existing authority that it
8 deems necessary to ensure the protection of such additional wolf or
9 wolves.
10 5. No later than April first, two thousand twenty-nine, the department
11 shall submit to the legislature a report on the status of wolves in the
12 state, based on data collected by or submitted to the department and
13 such other methods as determined appropriate by the department, and a
14 recommendation as to whether the wild canid testing program should be
15 continued. The status report shall also be posted on the department's
16 website.
17 6. The department shall modify, and update as necessary, the syllabus
18 required under subdivision two of section 11-0323 of this article, to
19 include the legal protections for wolves, the testing and reporting
20 requirements for wild canids under this section, and how to distinguish
21 a wolf from a coyote when a hunter or trapper is in the field.
22 § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027 and shall expire and
23 be deemed repealed January 1, 2030. Effective immediately, the addition,
24 amendment, and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the
25 implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be
26 made and completed on or before such date.
