The Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research (SWCHR) is a Texas non-profit association created under the provisions of the Texas Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act, Chapter 252 of the Texas Business Organizations Code (BOC) and is governed by a Board of Directors.

Article II, Sec.4 of SWCHR’s Articles of Association provides that one of the Association’s purposes and objectives is to provide the best possible science concerning herpetological issues to regulatory and legislative bodies at the local, state, and federal levels of government. In order to meet the responsibilities placed on the Association by Article II, Sec. 4 of SWCHR’s Articles of Association, we offer testimony before legislative bodies, wildlife, conservation, environmental, and other regulatory agencies on herpetological issues relevant to the American Southwest. We also prepare position papers explaining the Association’s position on these issues and our reasoning for taking such positions.

All such position papers are approved and adopted by SWCHR’s Board of Directors. All SWCHR position papers are archived below as downloadable documents and are accessible to both our membership and the general public.

• Position Paper on Utah Department of Wildlife Resource’s Proposed Changes to R657-53 Concerning Amphibians and Reptiles 30 October 2019
• Position Paper on Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Proposal to Amend the Sate Threatened Reptile and Amphibian Species Lists 26 October 2019
• Position Paper Regarding the Practice of Searching for Reptiles and Amphibians on Public Roadways and Rights-of-Ways in Texas for the Purpose of Observation, Photography, and/or Collecting 09 Nov 2010
• Position Paper Regarding the Practice of Gassing Snake Dens as a Permissible Means of Take in Texas 09 Nov 2010