A bill to keep animals out of traveling circuses – unless it’s in a rodeo, stock show, wildlife sanctuary or other educational event – is on its way to the state House after the Senate passed it on a party line vote this week.

Senate Bill 125 is called the Traveling Exotic Animal Safety Protection Act. 

Sen. Bob Gardner, a Republican from Colorado Springs, said he supports the intent of the bill – to protect animals – but found the bill to be vague and easy to outmaneuver.

“I was concerned I might have been included in the list of exotic animals that couldn’t perform and that would perhaps prevent me from coming here to the state Senate,” he said.

Gardner continued, “Any bill that is this difficult to understand, that’s this nuanced, is troubling to me. As I apply my simple country lawyer brain to it, I’m not sure I couldn’t create a wildlife sanctuary with some of the prohibited animals and make them part of an environmental education program.”  

The bill creates the Traveling Exotic Animal Safety Protection Act, which prohibits the use of exotic animals in a traveling animal act. A violation would be a misdemeanor subject to a fine $250 to $1,000 per violation.

“Circus animals often have quite difficult lives, and this bill aims to prevent exotic animals from being used in such a way here in our state,” Zenziner said in a statement after the bill cleared the Senate. “The bill does nothing to prohibit Colorado’s beloved events like rodeos or stock shows. It simply ensures that exotic animals aren’t forced to perform in traveling circuses.”

A bill pending in Congress could make the Colorado law unnecessary, if it were to pass. Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat from Aurora, is the only member of the Colorado delegation who is a cosponsor.  

Animal Defenders International said Thursday that 96 jurisdictions in 32 states have passed restrictions, including statewide bans in New Jersey, Hawaii and California.

“This important legislation will stop animal suffering statewide so we hope it will progress as swiftly through the House as it has done in the Senate,” ADI president Jan Creamer said in a statement about the Colorado bill Thursday.

“Circuses and other traveling shows are no place for wild animals, so let’s help them and get these outdated acts banned in Colorado.”