HB2185 HJUD AM 1-13 #1
The Committee on the Judiciary moved to amend the bill on page one, by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
ARTICLE 8. CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY, MORALITY AND DECENCY.
§61-8-19. Cruelty to animals; penalties; exclusions.
(a)(1) For the purposes of this section “agent” means any:
(A) Emergency Medical Service Personnel as defined in §16-4C-1 et seq. of this code;
(B) Humane officer as defined in §7-10-1 et seq. of this code;
(C) Law-enforcement officer or official as defined in §30-29-1 et seq. of this code; and
(D) Member of a paid or volunteer local fire department.
(2) For purposes of this section an agent does not include members of the general public.
(a)(1) (b)(1) It is
unlawful for any person to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly,
(A) Mistreat an animal in cruel manner;
(B) Abandon an animal;
(C) Withhold;
(i) Proper sustenance, including food or water;
(ii) Shelter that protects from the elements of weather; or
(iii) Medical treatment, necessary to sustain normal health and fitness or to end the suffering of any animal;
(D) Abandon an animal to die;
(E) Leave an
animal unattended and confined in a motor vehicle when physical injury to, or
death of, the animal is likely to result
Leave an animal unattended and confined in a motor vehicle when physical
injury to, or death of, the animal is likely to result. The conditions which
may cause injury or death shall include, but are not limited to, exposure to
extreme heat or cold and insufficient ventilation.
(i) An agent may take all steps that are reasonably necessary to remove an animal from a motor vehicle if the animal’s health, safety, or wellbeing appears to be in immediate danger from heat, cold or lack of adequate ventilation and the conditions could reasonably be expected to cause extreme suffering or death.
(ii) An agent may enter the motor vehicle for the sole purpose of assisting the animal and may not search the vehicle or seize items found in the vehicle unless otherwise permitted by law.
(iii) An agent who removes or otherwise retrieves an animal pursuant to this section shall leave written notice in a secure and conspicuous location on or in the motor vehicle bearing the officer’s name and title and the address of the location where the animal may be retrieved. The owner may retrieve the animal only after payment of all charges that have accrued for the maintenance, care, medical treatment and impoundment of the animal have been paid.
(iv) An agent who removes or otherwise retrieves an animal from a motor vehicle pursuant to this article, and the agency or municipality that employs the agent shall be immune from criminal or civil liability that might otherwise result from the removal of the animal.
(F) Ride an animal when it is physically unfit;
(G) Bait or harass an animal for the purpose of making it perform for a persons amusement;
(H) Cruelly chain or tether an animal; or
(I) Use, train or possess a domesticated animal for the purpose of seizing, detaining or maltreating any other domesticated animal.
(2) Any person in violation of subdivision (1) of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $300 nor more than $2,000 or confined in jail not more than six months, or both.
(b)(c) A person who has a
second or subsequent conviction of subdivision (1) of this subsection, or
who intentionally causes serious bodily injury, tortures, or mutilates
or maliciously kills an animal, or causes, procures or authorizes any other
person to cause serious bodily injury, torture, mutilate or maliciously
kill an animal, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be
confined in a correctional facility not less than one nor more than five years
and be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000. For the purposes of
this subsection, “torture” means an action taken for the primary purpose of
inflicting pain. For the purposes of this subsection, “serious bodily
injury” has the same meaning as in §61-2-29(a)(6) of this code.
(c)(d) A person, other than a
licensed veterinarian or a person acting under the direction or with the
approval of a licensed veterinarian, who knowingly and willfully administers or
causes to be administered to any animal participating in any contest any
controlled substance or any other drug for the purpose of altering or otherwise
affecting said animal's performance is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon
conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $2,000.
(d)
Any person convicted of a violation of this section forfeits his or her
interest in any animal and all interest in the animal vests in the humane
society or county pound of the county in which the conviction was rendered and
the person is, in addition to any fine imposed, liable for any costs incurred
or to be incurred by the humane society or county pound as a result.
(d)(e) For the purpose of
this section, the term “controlled substance” has the same meaning ascribed to
it by §60A-1-101(d) 60A-1-101(e) of this code.
(f)
The provisions of this section do not apply to lawful acts of hunting, fishing,
trapping or animal training, or farm farming or production
livestock, poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife kept in private or licensed game
farms if kept and maintained according to usual and accepted standards of for
livestock, poultry, gaming fowl or wildlife, or game farm production and
management, nor to humane use of animals or activities regulated under and in
conformity with the provisions of 7 U.S.C. §2131, et seq., and the
regulations promulgated thereunder, as both statutes and regulations are in
effect on the effective date of this section.
(g)
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) (b) of this section,
any person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of subsection (a) (b)
is guilty of a misdemeanor and, shall be confined in jail for a period of not
less than 90 days nor more than one year, fined not less than $500 nor more
than $3,000, or both fined and confined. The incarceration set forth in
this subsection is mandatory unless the provisions of subsection (h) (i)
of this section are complied with.
(f)(g)(1) Notwithstanding any
provision of this code to the contrary, no person who has been convicted of a
violation of the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) or (c) of
this section may be granted probation until the defendant has undergone a
complete psychiatric or psychological evaluation and the court has reviewed the
evaluation. Unless the defendant is determined by the court to be indigent, he
or she is responsible for the cost of the evaluation.
(2)
For any person convicted of a violation of subsection (a) or (b) or
(c) of this section, the court may, in addition to the penalties provided
in this section, impose a requirement that he or she complete a program of
anger management intervention for perpetrators of animal cruelty. Unless the
defendant is determined by the court to be indigent, he or she is responsible
for the cost of the program.
(i) (h) In addition to any
other penalty which can be imposed for a violation of this section, a court
shall, unless the court finds compelling circumstances otherwise
prohibit any person so convicted from possessing, owning or residing with any
animal or type of animal for a period of five years following entry of a
misdemeanor conviction and 15 years following entry of a felony conviction. A
violation under this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not
exceeding $2,000 and forfeiture of the animal.
(i) Producers of farm livestock and poultry and their employees or agents are exempt from provisions of this section if they are transporting farm livestock or poultry to market, slaughter, exhibition, or other agricultural management activity involving transportation.