The proposed bill, if enacted, would amend current statutes regarding animal cruelty by increasing the penalties for specific offenses. Under the new law, the penalty for intentionally or knowingly killing or seriously harming a working or service animal would be elevated from a class 6 felony to a class 5 felony. Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions that clarify the applicability of justification defenses in animal cruelty cases and expands the list of offenses that would make a person liable for costs associated with the training and replacement of injured or killed working or service animals.

Furthermore, the bill would make several deletions and insertions to the existing legal language. It would remove outdated references and replace them with updated definitions and classifications, such as explicitly stating that killing or seriously harming a working animal is a punishable offense. The bill also modifies the conditions under which a person may apply to restore their right to possess an animal after a conviction, ensuring that the process is more clearly defined and includes necessary psychological evaluations. Overall, these changes aim to strengthen the legal framework surrounding animal protection and enhance penalties for offenders.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 13-2910
Senate Engrossed Version: 13-2910, 13-2910.11, 13-417, 17-101
House Engrossed Version: 13-2910, 13-2910.11, 17-101
Chaptered Version: 13-2910, 13-2910.11, 17-101