The bill proposes to repeal the existing section 578.012 of Missouri law and replace it with two new sections that address animal abuse and establish a registry for animal abusers. The new definition of animal abuse includes intentionally killing an animal in prohibited ways, causing injury or suffering, or failing to provide adequate care resulting in substantial harm. The classification of animal abuse offenses is elevated from a class E misdemeanor to a class E felony, with harsher penalties for repeat offenders or cases involving torture or mutilation, which would be classified as a class D felony. Additionally, the bill introduces the "Missouri Animal Abuser Registration Act," which mandates the Missouri State Highway Patrol to maintain a publicly accessible list of individuals convicted of animal abuse offenses starting January 1, 2028. This list will include identifying information but will not disclose sensitive data such as Social Security numbers. The bill outlines the duration for which names will remain on the list based on the number of convictions, with provisions for expungement if the sole offense is removed from the record. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is also authorized to create rules and regulations to implement these provisions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (6279H.01): 578.012, 589.760