Establishes a toll-free statewide number for use in the investigation and prevention of animal fighting; provides reports be transmitted to the state or local police department and/or to the SPCA.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1508
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 2, 2009
___________
Introduced by Sens. DeFRANCISCO, ALESI, GOLDEN, GRIFFO, LARKIN, LAVALLE,
MORAHAN, SAMPSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed
to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
lishing a toll-free hotline to report animal fighting
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
2 section 351-a to read as follows:
3 § 351-a. Animal fighting hotline. 1. The commissioner of the division
4 of criminal justice services shall establish and maintain a toll-free
5 statewide number for use in the investigation and prevention of animal
6 fighting in violation of section three hundred fifty-one of this arti-
7 cle. Such toll-free number may be used by persons to report observations
8 or knowledge of persons engaging in conduct specified in section three
9 hundred fifty-one of this article.
10 2. Information concerning animal fighting activity obtained from use
11 of the toll-free number shall be transmitted to the appropriate state or
12 local police department and/or to the society for the prevention of
13 cruelty to animals (SPCA) in those counties where SPCAs have peace offi-
14 cers authorized to enforce the provisions of this article. In accordance
15 with regulations promulgated by the commissioner, the division of crimi-
16 nal justice services shall prepare an annual report which provides
17 information concerning the number, location and nature of the calls
18 received on the animal fighting hotline. The annual report shall be
19 published on the division of criminal justice's website.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
21 have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the
22 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
23 for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized
24 and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03870-01-9
