Friends of Animals presses its New Jersey members to be smart and support S687—the Bear Smart Bill—by urging members of the New Jersey Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee to vote in favor of the bill and release it for further action. 

The bill, introduced by State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, would prohibit certain actions like bear baiting that result in feeding of black bears and would require use of bear-resistant containers, dumpsters or food boxes in certain areas located in black bear habitat under certain circumstances, including garbage collection. The bill will provide New Jersey with common sense practices now used in states with much greater bear populations, such as Alaska and California. Removing easy access to human foods has proven to reduce human interaction with bears.

This is the most effective and moral approach to living with bears rather than having bear hunts to make up for the lack of common sense laws and human behavior.

 

Write, call or email members of the New Jersey Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee:

  • Paul A. Sarlo, 496 Columbia Blvd, 1st Floor, Wood-Ridge, NJ 07075; 201.804.8118; SenSarlo@njleg.org
  • Brian P. Stack, 411 Palisades Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07307; 201.721.5263; SenStack@njleg.org
  • Peter J. Barnes, 3 Stephenville Pkwy., Suite 2D, Edison, NJ 08820; 732.548.1406, SenBarnes@njleg.org
  • Jennifer Beck, 32 Monmouth St. 3rd Floor, Red Bank, NJ 07701; 732.933.1591; SenBeck@njleg.org
  • Anthony R. Bucco, 75 Bloomfield Ave, Suite 302, 3rd Floor, Denville, NJ 07834; 973.627.9700 SenBucco@njleg.org
  • Sandra B. Cunningham, 1738 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07305; 201.451.5100; SenCunningham@njleg.org
  • Linda R. Greenstein, 1249 South River Rd., Suite 105, Cranbury, NJ 08512; 609.395.9911; SenGreenstein@njleg.org
  • Kevin J. O’Toole, 155 Route 46 West, Suite 108, Wayne, NJ 07470; 973.237.1360; SenOToole@njleg.org
  • Steven Oroho, 24th Legislative District Office, 1 Wilson Drive, Suite 2B Sparta, NJ 07871 , 973.300.0200, senoroho@njleg.org
  • Nellie Pou, 100 Hamilton Plaza, Suite1405, Paterson, NJ 07505; 973.247.1555; SenPou@njleg.org
  • Theresa M. Ruiz, 166 Bloomfield Ave., Newark, NJ 07104; 973.484.1000; SenRuiz@njleg.org
  • Samuel D. Thompson, 2501 Highway 516, Suite 101, Old Bridge, NJ 08857; 732.607.7580; SenThompson@njleg.org
  • Jeff Van Drew, School House Office Park, 211 S. Main St., Suite 104, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210; 609.465.0700; SenVanDrew@njleg.org