STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2778
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 20, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD, CLARK, STECK, TITONE, BROOK-KRASNY,
GOTTFRIED, FAHY, CUSICK, BRINDISI, GUNTHER, SCHIMEL, WEPRIN, SKOUFIS
-- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ARROYO, CAMARA, FINCH, GIGLIO,
GLICK, LUPARDO, MALLIOTAKIS, McLAUGHLIN, RAIA, TEDISCO -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to communi-
ty based initiatives for the purpose of trapping, neutering, vaccinat-
ing and returning feral cats to the area from which they were trapped
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 117-a of the agriculture and
2 markets law, as amended by section 11 of part T of chapter 59 of the
3 laws of 2010, is amended and a new subdivision 10 is added to read as
4 follows:
5 1. The commissioner shall submit a request for proposals from not-for-
6 profit entities as described herein for the purpose of administering a
7 state animal population control program. The entity chosen to administer
8 such program shall enter into a contract with the state for a term of
9 five years, which may be renewed subject to the approval of the commis-
10 sioner. The purpose of this program shall be to reduce the population of
11 unwanted and stray dogs and cats thereby reducing incidence of euthana-
12 sia and potential threats to public health and safety posed by the large
13 population of these animals. This program shall seek to accomplish its
14 purpose by encouraging residents of New York state who are the owners of
15 dogs and cats or, subject to the conditions established pursuant to
16 subdivision ten of this section, community-based initiatives operating
17 in coordination with an eligible not-for-profit entity as defined in
18 subdivision eight of this section for the purposes of trapping, neuter-
19 ing, vaccinating and releasing feral cats as defined in subparagraph two
20 of paragraph e of subdivision six of section 11-0103 of the environ-
21 mental conservation law, to have them spayed or neutered by providing
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02582-01-5
A. 2778 2
1 low-cost spaying and neutering services to such owners and initiatives
2 meeting the criteria enumerated in subdivision three of this section.
3 For purposes of this section, "low-cost" shall mean substantially less
4 than the average cost in a particular region of the state for spaying or
5 neutering services, including any and all ancillary [changes] charges
6 for services, including but not limited to, presurgical examinations,
7 tests and immunizations, and other services related to the spay or
8 neuter procedure. All veterinary services provided pursuant to this
9 section must be performed by a veterinarian licensed in this state.
10 10. Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the
11 administrative entity shall be authorized to utilize up to twenty
12 percent of the animal population control program fund balance annually
13 for grants to eligible entities as defined in subdivision eight of this
14 section working in coordination with community based initiatives for the
15 purposes of trapping, neutering, vaccinating and returning, to the area
16 from which they were trapped, feral cats as defined in subparagraph two
17 of paragraph e of subdivision six of section 11-0103 of the environ-
18 mental conservation law.
19 § 2. Subdivision 3 of section 117-a of the agriculture and markets law
20 is amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
21 (d) Subject to the conditions established pursuant to subdivision ten
22 of this section, the provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to
23 community-based initiatives operated in coordination with an eligible
24 entity as defined in subdivision eight of this section for the purpose
25 of trapping, neutering, vaccinating and releasing feral cats as defined
26 in subparagraph two of paragraph e of subdivision six of section 11-0103
27 of the environmental conservation law.
28 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.