Committee hears bill to allow raccoon ownership permits; public health and local-control concerns raised

The House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources heard testimony on House Bill 2297, a proposal to allow raccoon ownership in Kansas through permits issued by the animal health commissioner.

Committee adviser Kyle Hamilton summarized the bill’s central change: “Under House Bill 2,297, it would be unlawful to possess a raccoon as a pet in the state of Kansas without a raccoon ownership permit from the animal health commissioner,” and the text would create an explicit statutory permitting path where current law limits ownership by regulation.

The draft bill includes permit requirements such as annual veterinary checkups, vaccination and disease-prevention measures, enclosure standards, a prohibition on unlicensed breeding, and education for prospective owners. Proponents said the proposal would limit ownership to animals from licensed breeders and would require proof of housing and veterinary care before a permit is issued.

Steven Casper, who said he drafted the measure, told the committee that the bill is intended to restrict possession to USDA‑bred animals and to create a state permit process with inspections and fees. “Permits would require proof of housing,…