As reported by NABR earlier this month, two bills introduced in the Maryland General Assembly will be up for consideration very soon. Simply put, Senate Bill 675 and House Bill 732 would require research facilities to provide former research animals to animal rescue organizations for adoption. Because research programs already adopt out animals themselves with great effectiveness, this bill would effectively create a "middleman" in the process of finding homes for former research animals. Both bills also carry an overly burdensome and duplicative reporting requirement on animals in research. S.B. 675 has been scheduled for a hearing next week on Feb. 27 at 1:00 p.m. in the Senate Committee on Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs. H.B. 732 is slated to be heard on March 13 at 1:00 p.m. in the House Appropriations Committee.
We need your help! If you or someone you know is a resident of Maryland, please send this pre-formatted letter to members of the House and Senate urging them to oppose S.B. 675 and H.B. 732. It only takes a few minutes, but sending this letter may have an impact on the future of biomedical research within the State of Maryland.Also, if you are able, please consider signing-up to deliver in-person testimony in Annapolis.
Research animal adoption bills are a solution in search of a non-existent problem. They would add an unnecessary middleman to existing research animal adoption processes, heightening the compliance burden faced by researchers. Should the bills become law, they would open the door for amendments that could introduce even more arduous restrictions on animal research.
S.B. 675 and H.B. 732 are lobbied by the Beagle Freedom Project (BFP) (now the Rescue+Freedom Project, or RFP), an organization that has previously advocated for an end to all animal research. The group has very publicly vilified animal research and targeted specific institutions regarding their adoption policies. Read this POLITICO story to learn more about this controversial organization.
Again, if you or someone you know is a Maryland resident, please send this pre-written letter to Annapolis ASAP urging them to OPPOSE S.B. 675 and H.B. 732. Using NABR's letter writing module is simple, quick, easy, and very important in the effort to push back against this bill.
Send a Letter of Opposition to Members of the Maryland General Assembly
Congress is considering legislation that targets important canine studies at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). AALAS President, Paige Ebert has submitted a letter to ranking members on the Senate Appropriations Committee to voice our concern for this amendment.
The National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR ) has an easy to use comment portal. Click below to learn more and let your voice be heard!
https://www.votervoice.net/NABR/campaigns/54425/respond
AALAS has emailed the entire membership with a request to use the NABR Capwiz system to support HR 3136. This legislation will help improve transparency at the USDA. AALAS has already signed onto the coalition letter. Please send a pre-written message to their representatives. According to NABR, AALAS members have generated approximately 100 emails to the Hill already. Hopefully that number can grow once we reach out to branch members as well!
Send a Message
The AALAS Government Relations Committee (GRC) is working on a response to the "Petition to Amend the Reporting Requirements for Research Facilities Under the Animal Welfare Act Regulations." The deadline for comment is 8/24/2015. We will share our response as soon as it is approved by the AALAS Executive Committee.
Read more at http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0033-0001
The New York court has dismissed the petition for a writ of habeas corpus in regards to the two chimpanzees held at a state university on Long Island, NY. Read the AP coverage.
Please read the information on the petition as well as AALAS’ response. If you follow the link on the button below, you will be directed to a page where there is a “comment now” button. The deadline to comment is 8/31/2015.
Read about the petition | Read AALAS's response
Comment on the Petition
Please share AALAS’ response with your branch members and encourage them to comment on behalf of AALAS.
This petition commends Air France for its commitment to transporting laboratory animals for biomedical research.
Sign the Petition
Maryland HB 443, Crimes Relating to Animals - Unauthorized Use of Dogs and Cats in Research Facilities - Penalties has been deemed unfavorable and will not move forward in the legislative process.
Maryland HB 567, Crimes Relating to Animals, Failure to Offer Dogs and Cats Used in Research Facilities for Adoption – Penalties has been deemed unfavorable and will not move forward in the legislative process.
From NABR: Another Federal Court Upholds the AETA
