Law change will allow reindeer in Conn. all year

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — One of Connecticut's new laws would make Santa happy.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has signed a bill that will allow people to keep reindeer in the state all year long under new regulations set to take effect Sept. 1, 2013. But a pilot program beginning this November will allow two businesses to have up to five reindeer apiece.

The old law said reindeer can be brought into the state only between Thanksgiving Day and Newu Year's Day, and they can't stay past Jan. 8. That law was passed in 2009 over concerns about spreading chronic wasting disease and other ailments to state herds of reindeer and moose.

South Windsor Christmas tree farmer John Dzen (ZENN') told lawmakers this year that the feared diseases never materialized. He wants to keep reindeer year-round.