The bill proposes a prohibition on the declawing of cats, making it a criminal offense to remove a cat's claws through onychectomy, partial or complete phalangectomy, or tendonectomy, except when necessary for the cat's health due to illness, infection, disease, injury, or other medical conditions. Declawing for cosmetic, aesthetic, or convenience reasons is explicitly banned. Violators of this law would face a civil penalty of $500 for the first offense, $1,000 for the second offense, and $2,500 for any subsequent offenses. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2024.

The fiscal note attached to the bill indicates that there is no immediate fiscal impact on the state, county, or local budgets, as the appropriations and revenue changes are indeterminable. The bill does not specify a funding source for the enforcement of this prohibition. The Judicial Branch has noted that the cost per case for violation level offenses would be $122 in FY 2024, not including potential appeals, but there is no method to determine the number of charges that may result from this bill, making the overall fiscal impact indeterminable. Agencies contacted regarding this bill include the Judicial Branch.