If this bill were to become law, it would amend the current statutes regarding animal cruelty by increasing the penalty for intentionally or knowingly interfering with, killing, or harming a working or service animal from a class 6 felony to a class 5 felony. This change aims to strengthen the legal consequences for such actions, reflecting a heightened recognition of the importance of working and service animals.

The bill also includes a minor adjustment to the existing statute by adding a new paragraph (10) to the list of violations that result in a class 5 felony, while deleting the reference to paragraph 10 in the current law. The overall structure of the law remains intact, but the specific classifications and penalties for certain offenses are updated to enhance protections for working and service animals.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-2910