This bill establishes an animal abuse offender registry in New Hampshire. The registry will be publicly accessible on the Department of Safety's website and will include the names and identifying information of individuals convicted of an animal abuse offense. The registry will also include a photograph of the convicted animal abuser. The court clerks will be responsible for forwarding the judgment and date of birth of all persons convicted of an animal abuse offense to the Department of Safety.
The registry will be maintained for a certain period of time depending on the number of convictions. Upon a person's first conviction, their name and identifying information will be on the registry for 2 years. Upon subsequent convictions, the name and identifying information will be on the registry for 5 years. The department will remove the person's name and identifying information from the registry if they are not convicted of another animal abuse offense during the specified time period. The commissioner of the Department of Safety will adopt rules for the establishment and maintenance of the animal abuser registry. The bill will take effect on January 1, 2025.