BILL NUMBER: S5409
SPONSOR: LANZA
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to penal-
ties for those committing multiple animal cruelty offenses
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to create an additional means to establish
the crime of aggravated cruelty to animals where a person has been
convicted of animal cruelty in the past.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends § 353-a of the agriculture and markets law by adding an
additional means to establish the crime of aggravated cruelty to animal
where a person has been convicted of a crime described in § 353 within
the previous ten years.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation would strengthen penalties for repeat animal abus-
ers.According to the American Prosecutors Research Institute CAPRI), it
is substantiated that those who have a history of repeated acts of
intentional violence toward animals are at a higher risk of exhibiting
similar violence toward human beings. APRI also cites a large and grow-
ing body of literature that has documented the co-occurrence of animal
cruelty and interpersonal violence, particularly domestic violence,
child abuse, and elder abuse. This bill creates an additional means to
establish the crime of aggravated cruelty to animals where a person has
been convicted of animal cruelty in the past.
 
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S.4115 - Referred to Agriculture / A.5160 - Referred to Agricul-
ture
2023: S.4115 - Referred to Agriculture / A.5160 - Referred to Agricul-
ture
2022: S.4577 - Referred to Agriculture / A.6918 - Referred to Agricul-
ture
2021: S.4577 - Referred to Agriculture / A.6918 - Referred to Agricul-
ture
2020: S.2019 - Referred to Domestic Animal Welfare/ A.5644 Held for
Consideration in Agriculture
2019: S.2019 - Referred to Domestic Animal Welfare/ A.5644 - Referred to
Agriculture
2018: S.6187- Referred to Agriculture/A.4693- Referred to Agriculture
2017: S.6187- Referred to Agriculture/A.4693- Referred to Agriculture
2016: S.5115- Referred to Agriculture/A.5505- Referred to Agriculture
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

Statutes affected:
S5409: 353-a agriculture and markets law