Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

PRINTER'S NO.   239
                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 295
                                               Session of
                                                 2025
     INTRODUCED BY BIZZARRO, McNEILL, SHUSTERMAN, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI,
        SANCHEZ, KENYATTA, CERRATO, KHAN, GIRAL, HOHENSTEIN, DONAHUE,
        SCHLOSSBERG, HOWARD, DALEY, GREEN AND MADDEN,
        JANUARY 23, 2025
     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
        JANUARY 23, 2025
                                    AN ACT
 Amending the act of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), entitled
    "An act relating to dogs, regulating the keeping of dogs;
    providing for the licensing of dogs and kennels; providing
    for the protection of dogs and the detention and destruction
    of dogs in certain cases; regulating the sale and
    transportation of dogs; declaring dogs to be personal
    property and the subject of theft; providing for the
    abandonment of animals; providing for the assessment of
    damages done to animals; providing for payment of damages by
    the Commonwealth in certain cases and the liability of the
    owner or keeper of dogs for such damages; imposing powers and
    duties on certain State and local officers and employees;
    providing penalties; and creating a Dog Law Restricted
    Account," in licenses, tags and kennels, further providing
    for revocation or refusal of kennel licenses and providing
    for prohibition on sale of dogs bred by certain persons; and,
    in enforcement and penalties, providing for whistleblower
    protection.
    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 hereby enacts as follows:
    Section 1.    Section 211(a) introductory paragraph of the act
 of December 7, 1982 (P.L.784, No.225), known as the Dog Law,
 amended July 8, 2024 (P.L.527, No.47), is amended to read:
 Section 211.    Revocation or refusal of kennel licenses.
    (a)   General powers of secretary.--The secretary shall revoke
 a kennel license, dealer license or out-of-state dealer license
 if a licensee is convicted of a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 3129
 (relating to sexual intercourse with animal), 5532 (relating to
 neglect of animal) if graded as a misdemeanor or higher, 5533
 (relating to cruelty to animal) if graded as a misdemeanor or
 higher, 5534 (relating to aggravated cruelty to animal), 5535
 (relating to attack of service, guide or support dog), 5542
 (relating to animal mutilation and related offenses) if graded
 as a misdemeanor or higher, 5543 (relating to animal fighting),
 5544 (relating to possession of animal fighting paraphernalia),
 5548 (relating to police animals) or 5549 (relating to assault
 with a biological agent on animal, fowl or honey bees) or of
 substantially similar conduct pursuant to 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54
 (relating to transportation, sale, and handling of certain
 animals), 18 U.S.C. § 48 (relating to animal crushing) or a
 cruelty law of another state. The secretary shall not issue a
 kennel license, dealer license or out-of-state dealer license to
 a person that has been convicted of a violation of 18 Pa.C.S. §
 3129, 5532 if graded as a misdemeanor or higher, 5533 if graded
 as a misdemeanor or higher, 5534, 5535, 5542 if graded as a
 misdemeanor or higher, 5543, 5544, 5548 or 5549 within the last
 ten years. The secretary may revoke or refuse to issue a kennel
 license, dealer license or out-of-state dealer license for any
 one or more of the following reasons:
          * * *
    Section 2.     The act is amended by adding sections to read:
 Section 222.     Prohibition on sale of dogs bred by certain
              persons.
    Notwithstanding the provisions of section 908, a dealer or
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 kennel may not sell or offer for sale, including a sale for
 research purposes, a dog bred by a person who has received any
 of the following from the United States Department of
 Agriculture as authorized under 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54 (relating to
 transportation, sale, and handling of certain animals) and its
 attendant regulations:
        (1)     A citation for a direct or critical violation or
    citations for three or more indirect or noncritical
    violations during the two-year period before the procurement
    of the dog.
        (2)     Two consecutive citations for no access to a housing
    facility before the procurement of the dog.
 Section 909.    Whistleblower protection.
    An employee of a business, nonprofit entity or government
 entity subject to this act shall be deemed to be an employee
 under the act of December 12, 1986 (P.L.1559, No.169), known as
 the Whistleblower Law, with regard to a good faith report of a
 potential violation of this act or 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54 (relating to
 transportation, sale, and handling of certain animals). A
 business, nonprofit entity or government entity subject to this
 act shall be deemed to be an employer under the Whistleblower
 Law with regard to a good faith report of a potential violation
 of this act or 7 U.S.C. Ch. 54.
    Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 180 days.
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Statutes/Laws affected: 
Printer's No. 0239: P.L.784, No.225