TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, Sierra Club Florida sent Governor Ron DeSantis a letter urging him to veto HB 87, “Taking of Bears.”
If signed into law, HB 87 would have disastrous consequences for the welfare and safety of Florida wildlife and residents alike. Built upon the falsehood that Florida faces an epidemic of “crackbears”, HB 87 would usurp the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) sole constitutional authority to regulate wildlife and exempt people from any administrative, civil or criminal penalties for killing a bear if:
- The person is believed that it was necessary to avoid imminent death or serious bodily injury to their self, another person or a pet; and
- The person didn’t intentionally or recklessly put their self or pet in a situation where they would need to use lethal force.
The letter makes it clear that the bill is unnecessary, stymies conservation, and undeniably at odds with the state’s constitution, which clearly states that the FWC “shall exercise the regulatory authority and executive powers of the state with respect to wild animal life and freshwater aquatic life.”
Additionally, the Florida Supreme Court and other state courts have consistently found that this language vests FWC with the exclusive legislative authority to adopt reasonable rules to regulate wild animal life, thereby constitutionally prohibiting the Legislature from adopting statutes that are inconsistent with or conflict with FWC regulations.
Sierra Club Florida Political Director Luigi Guadaramma said, “Rather than addressing real problems like the property insurance crisis, climate change, or affordability, legislators have prioritized a fantasy. There have been zero people killed by ‘crack bears’ in Florida, and there are zero reasons why HB 87 should be signed into law.”
Sierra Club Florida Executive Committee Chair James Scott said, “HB 87 is yet another fruitless exercise in addressing a flagrantly farcical problem with an inane and dangerous solution. While the Legislature wrestles with B-movie villains, like bears on schedule 1 stimulants, Floridians' quality of life continues to worsen as the state becomes increasingly unaffordable and their personal and local freedom are attacked. We call on Governor DeSantis to veto this bill, and protect Florida’s residents and wildlife."
Sierra Club Florida is firmly opposed to HB 87, and urges the Governor to veto this harmful bill that would do nothing but threaten Florida’s black bear population and jeopardize the safety of our communities.
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