190th Session Recap: Animal Rights
S.2646 – An Act to protect animal welfare and safety in cities and towns (PAWS II)
Overview:
- Jay was a co-sponsor and advocate for this animal rights bills, as well as several others that unfortunately were not successful.
- Builds upon changes to the state’s animal cruelty laws made with passage of the PAWS Act in 2014.
- Includes provisions to ensure that abuse is reported.
- Ensures efficient enforcement of animal control laws.
- Prohibits the drowning of animals – wild and domestic.
- Updates the animal fighting law to prevent the automatic killing of animal fighting victims.
- Adds animal crimes to the list of offenses that serve as the basis for a request for a determination of detention and/or release upon conditions.
- Ensures that landlords check vacant properties for the presence of abandoned animals and clarify the law relating to when animals were abandoned.
- Updates law against animal sex abuse.
- Updates a law relating to who/what entities can be charged with certain types of animal cruelty (corporations).
Outcome: This bill was passed in both chambers and signed by the Governor on August 9, 2018
One comment