(a) As used in this section, “turtle” means any reptile commonly known as turtles, tortoises or terrapins but shall not include a turtle used solely for agricultural, scientific or educational purposes.

(b) No turtle with a carapace length of less than four inches or with viable turtle eggs may be sold in this state.

(c) No person may sell a live turtle with a carapace length of four inches or greater unless (1) a caution notice is posted by the person selling turtles which warns that the transmission of salmonella disease by turtles is possible; (2) at the time of the sale of the turtle, the seller furnishes the buyer with a copy of the caution notice and information obtained from a veterinarian regarding the proper care and feeding for the species of turtle which is being sold; (3) the buyer signs a form stating that he has read the notice provided if the buyer is less than sixteen years of age, such form shall be signed by a parent or guardian; (4) the turtle is not a species identified by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection as endangered, threatened or of special concern in regulations adopted under section 26-306; and (5) the seller receives, and retains on file for inspection by the Commissioner of Agriculture, written verification that such turtle was bred at a licensed commercial fish farm or commercial aquaculture facility and was not collected from the wild.

(d) Any person who violates any provision of this section or section 19a-102b shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars. The Commissioner of Agriculture may suspend the pet shop license of any pet shop, as defined in section 22-327, which violates any provision of this section or section 19a-102b.

(e) On or before October 1, 1996, the Commissioner of Public Health shall evaluate the public health effect of the sale of turtles in this state and shall submit a report of his findings to the General Assembly.

(f) The Commissioner of Public Health may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this section.

(P.A. 94-29, S. 1; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsec. (c)(4), effective July 1, 2011.