With every new legislative session there are usually more than 100 bills involving or affecting animals introduced by New Jersey State Legislators. This legislative session, New Jersey's Two Hundred Seventeenth is no different.
I track the introduction of bills throughout the country and in New Jersey. I have compiled a list of some of the bills introduced with the statement that accompanies the proposed bill, the title, and sponsors. Many of these bills were introduced in previous years, although some are new. I will post comments about some of these bills in greater depth in the future.
Senate Bill No. 720
TITLE: Clarifies that compensation may be paid for expenses related to service animals required due to injuries resulting from crime against victim.
Primary Sponsor(s): Cruz-Perez, Nilsa.
Statement:
This bill specifically provides that crime victims may be awarded compensation for those expenses related to procuring or providing treatment to a service animal when a service animal is required by the victim due to injuries sustained by the victim as a result of the crime.
Senate Bill No. 145
TITLE: Prohibits persons violating animal cruelty law from owning, keeping, or harboring animals; requires DHSS establish and maintain website list of such persons.
Primary Sponsor(s): Madden, Fred H., Co-Sponsor(s): Bateman, Christopher, Greenstein, Linda R.
Statement:
This bill prohibits any person found guilty of, or liable for, a violation of the State animal cruelty laws from owning, keeping, or harboring an animal. The bill prohibits any such person from licensing or registering a dog or cat. The bill also provides for the seizure and confiscation of animals from people convicted of, or liable for, a violation of the animal cruelty laws.
The bill also directs the Department of Health and Senior Services to establish a readily identifiable location on the department's website where any member of the public may access the list of such violators.
Senate Bill No. 188
TITLE: Authorizes hunting of game animals every day of the week during hunting season.
Primary Sponsor(s): Kyrillos, Joseph M
Statement:
This bill would authorize the hunting of any game animal every day of the week, including Sundays, during any season prescribed pursuant to the State Fish and Game Code for the hunting of that animal. The bill also maintains the provisions of current law that permit:
- a person with a valid and proper rifle permit licensed to trap 4 fur-bearing animals to use a .22 caliber rifle and .22 caliber short rimfire cartridges to humanely dispatch legally trapped animals; and
- farm land owners, lessees actually occupying or farming the land, members of their immediate families, or their farm employees to hunt and destroy at any time and in any manner crows, woodchuck, fox and vermin on that land.
Senate Bill No. 433
TITLE: Requires court to issue animal protection order against person found guilty of abusing an animal. Primary Sponsor(s): Allen, Diane B
Statement:
This bill would authorize a court upon finding a person guilty of abusing an animal or otherwise violating the State animal cruelty laws, to issue an animal protection order against the person adjudged guilty of the abuse or other violation. The animal protection order would require the person to refrain from interacting with an animal permanently or for a period of time specified by the court. The court may issue the animal protection order to apply to a specific animal with which the adjudged person has contact, or any animal, as determined to be appropriate by the court.
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