JEFFERSON CITY — Numerous measures sponsored by Sen. Joe Keaveny, D-St. Louis, are slated for committee hearings in the Missouri Senate and House. One of those measures, SB 149, which addresses the ownership of exotic animals, is slated for a hearing at noon in Senate Committee Room 1 in the Senate Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee on Wednesday, April 17.

Among other provisions, SB 149 would create the Nonhuman Primate Act and align it with the already existing Large Carnivore Act. The Large Carnivore Act addresses permit requirements and safety procedures for certain exotic animals. The Nonhuman Primate Act would address the ownership of large Great Apes, orangutans, baboons, and chimpanzees.

“My legislation does nothing to hamper Missourians’ rights to own an exotic animal, but emphasizes that stronger safety polices need to be put in place to help recapture an animal if it escapes from its owner,” Sen. Keaveny said. “Owning an exotic animal is a serious responsibility, and we need to be sure that the welfare of the community and the animal is protected.”

The act requires Missourians, beginning on Sept. 1, 2014, to register their animal with the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) and obtain a permit; current law only requires owners to register their primate with the local sheriff. Permit applicants must be at least 21 years old and cannot have violated a state or local animal welfare law, nor pled to or been found guilty of a felony within the last 10 years. To obtain a permit, a person would need to provide information regarding his or her liability insurance coverage for the animal; a recapture plan, should the animal escape; and the animal’s veterinary care. If a Missourian can no longer care for the animal, he or she may contact MDA or a wildlife sanctuary.

In the chamber across the hall, two of Sen. Keaveny’s measures are slated for hearings in the House Judiciary Committee. Senate Bill 69 is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday, April 17, at noon (or upon morning recess) in House Hearing Room 1. The following day, April 18, SB 100 is marked for a hearing starting at 8:30 a.m. in House Hearing Room 6.

Senate Bill 69 would allow administrative hearing officers from the Department of Social Services to set aside or correct certain errors in child support orders, and SB 100 would add health savings plans and inherited retirement accounts to the list of exemptions in bankruptcy proceedings. Both bills were overwhelmingly approved in the Missouri Senate, and, if SB 69 and SB 100 are approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor, both will take effect on Aug. 28.

To learn more about Sen. Keaveny’s sponsored legislation, visit the Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov.

.