[Moderator's note: Also see following post. BIG] Talked to a Susan Paulson in Senate Ways & Means today regarding HB 295. Hate to sound like a broken record but heres the scoop: We are still stuck in SW&M. She said that its still being "Studied" and the best tactic to get it out of SW&M is to write letters to that committee. What can you as a Mass Resident do to help? You can do the following: 1) contact your own Senator and State Rep. (if you do not know them, e-mail me directly, let me know which town or city you reside inalso, if you know your ward or prectint, that may help and I'll tell you who they are. Ask them if they would write a letter to SW&M in support of HB295. 2). Write to SW&M Committee directly and ask for the whole Committee's support. 3) contact all the Senators on SW&M by letter. Ask them to support HB 295. What Susan said that will happen with these letters is they will go into the file. If we generate enough "PAPER" maybe that will re-open their interest in the bill and push the priority up. If you have a Senator on SW&M, tell them of your frustration on their handling of this bill, its been in their committee since the end of May. Remember to remind them you are a constituent and you vote. Also, let them know that yes there are tons of more important things they have to deal with but this is very important to you. In the SW&M file on HB 295 the following Senators/Reps have letters in favor of the bill on file: Senator Robert Durand, Senator David Magnani, Senator Bruce Tarr, Rep. Brad Jones (Bless their hearts! If you write to them, thank them for their support). The following is a list of the SW&M Committee, the address to write them is, I have listed only a few towns/cities they represent, if you are not sure, e-mail me. Senator XXX State House Boston, MA 02133 Thomas F. Birmingham, Chairman, Chelsea, Everett, Revere Robert D. Wetmore, Vice Chairman, Athol, Barre, Sturbridge, Winchendon Matthew J. Amorello, Auburn, Grafton Robert A. Antonioni, Fitchburg, Leominster, Lunenburg Michael C. Creedon, Brockton, E. Bridgewater. Robert A. Durand, Acton, Hudson, Marlborough, Stow Cheryl A. Jacques, Attleboro, Natick, Needham, Wellesley, Wrentham James P. Jajuga, Haverhill, Methuen, N. Andover, Salisbury Michael Knapik, Chicopee, Holyoke, Southwick, Westfield David P. Magnani, Framingham, Hopkinton, Medway Linda J. Melconian, Agawam, Chicopee, Springfield, W. Springfield Therese Murray, Bourne, Falmouth, Pembroke, Plymouth, Sandwich, Wareham Thomas C. Norton, Fall River, Freetown, Somerset, Swansea, Westport Henri S. Rauschenbach, Brewster, Cape & Islands Stanley S. Rosenberg, Amherst, Greenfield, Northampton Charles E. Shannon, Medford, Winchester, Woburn Marian Walsh, Canton, Dedham, Dover Norwood, Westwood FYI: Sen. Rosenberg, Sen Jajuga both had ferrets confiscated in their districts this past summer while HB 295 was in their committee. (They received letters from me regarding this). Sen. Rauschenbach is presently under indictment been all over the news these past few days He may be quite busy with that. Thanks for your help and good luck. Anyone who gets feedback please let me know. Sharon Burbine, Mass Friends of the Domestic Ferret Group [Posted in FML issue 1321]