PRINTER'S NO. 408
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 436
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY McNEILL, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI, GUENST, STEELE,
HOWARD, SCHLOSSBERG, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, HOHENSTEIN AND CERRATO,
JANUARY 31, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
JANUARY 31, 2025
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, in riot, disorderly conduct and
3 related offenses, further providing for prohibition of
4 ownership of certain animals.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Section 5555 of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
8 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
9 § 5555. Prohibition of ownership.
10 (a) Ownership.--Notwithstanding any provision of law and in
11 addition to any other penalty provided by law, the authority
12 imposing sentence upon a conviction for a violation of this
13 subchapter [may] shall order the prohibition [or limitation] of
14 the defendant's ownership, possession, control or custody of
15 animals or employment with the care of animals for a period of
16 [time not to exceed the statutory maximum term of imprisonment
17 applicable to the offense for which sentence is being imposed]
18 no less than two years. A humane society police officer, law
 1 enforcement officer or State dog warden shall have authority to
2 ensure compliance with this section and may notify the local
3 district attorney who may petition the court to remove animals
4 kept in violation of this section.
5 (b) Violence prevention counseling required.--
6 (1) An order issued under subsection (a) shall require
7 the defendant to attend and complete violence prevention
8 counseling, which attendance and completion must be proven to
9 the authority imposing the sentence through a signed and
10 dated written acknowledgment.
11 (2) For a second or subsequent violation of this
12 subchapter, the authority imposing the sentence shall require
13 further violence prevention counseling, which must be
14 satisfactorily completed and documented each time and
15 provided to the authority imposing the sentence.
16 (c) Offense defined.--An individual subject to this section
17 commits an offense if the individual:
18 (1) Fails to attend and complete violence prevention
19 counseling as ordered by the authority imposing the sentence.
20 (2) Possesses, owns, controls, has custody of or is
21 employed with the care of an animal while the order remains
22 in effect.
23 (d) Grading.--
24 (1) A violation of subsection (c)(2) shall constitute a
25 misdemeanor of the third degree and, upon conviction, shall
26 result in a prohibition extension of at least one year.
27 (2) A second violation of subsection (c)(2) shall
28 constitute a misdemeanor of the second degree and, upon
29 conviction, shall result in a prohibition extension of at
30 least five years.
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1 (3) A third or subsequent violation of subsection (c)(2)
2 shall constitute a misdemeanor of the first degree and, upon
3 conviction, shall result in a prohibition extension of at
4 least 10 years.
5 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 0408: 18-5555