HB2076 is a bill that seeks to expand the definition of domestic violence to include specific acts of animal cruelty. The bill proposes to add to the list of offenses that may qualify as domestic violence the acts of intentionally or knowingly subjecting a domestic animal to cruel mistreatment or killing a domestic animal without legal privilege or the consent of the animal's owner or handler.

The current law defines domestic violence as various criminal acts against a person in certain relational contexts, including dangerous crimes against children and offenses such as assault, trespassing, and stalking. The bill would amend Arizona Revised Statutes Section 13-3601 by inserting additional animal cruelty offenses (paragraphs 14 and 15) into the list of acts that can be considered domestic violence if the relationship between the victim and the defendant meets specific criteria.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-3601
House Engrossed Version: 13-3601