Requires each violator of "Buster's Law" to register the violator's name and address with the division of criminal justice services; makes the registration available to the public, law enforcement entities, district attorneys, humane societies, societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals, dog or cat protective associations, animal control officers, breeders of animals, animal rescues and pet stores.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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11595
IN ASSEMBLY
June 5, 2026
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Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Fitzpatrick)
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
lishing a public registry for persons convicted of violating "Buster's
Law"
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 352 to read as follows:
3 § 352. Public animal cruelty register. 1. Any person who is convicted
4 of a violation of section three hundred fifty-one or three hundred
5 fifty-three-a of this article shall register with the division of crimi-
6 nal justice services. Such registration shall be made in a manner and
7 form to be determined by the division of criminal justice services, and
8 shall include, at a minimum, the name and address of such registrant.
9 The division of criminal justice services shall maintain registration
10 information received pursuant to this section in a registry. Such regis-
11 try shall be in print and in electronic form and shall be available to
12 the public as well as all law enforcement entities, district attorneys,
13 duly incorporated humane societies, societies for the prevention of
14 cruelty to animals, dog or cat protective associations, animal control
15 officers, breeders of animals, animal rescues and pet stores doing busi-
16 ness in this state. Any person required to register pursuant to this
17 section shall register annually, or each time such person moves to a new
18 address and shall continue to register until such person receives a
19 court order ordering such registration to cease. No such order shall be
20 issued until such person first demonstrates to the court that such
21 person has undergone psychiatric or psychological testing, the results
22 of which indicate by clear and convincing evidence the capable and sound
23 mental capacity and ability to own and properly care for an animal in a
24 humane manner. Any person required to register pursuant to this section
25 shall not own a companion animal or have employment at an animal shel-
26 ter, pound, pet store, zoo or other business establishment where compan-
27 ion animals are present. Any person who is convicted of a violation of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03567-01-5
A. 11595 2
1 section three hundred fifty-one or three hundred fifty-three-a of this
2 article shall, in addition to any other penalty or term of imprisonment
3 authorized by law, be subject to a mandatory annual surcharge of fifty
4 dollars which shall be used to pay for costs and expenses associated
5 with establishing and maintaining the registry required by this section.
6 2. The provisions of this section shall apply to all municipalities,
7 including cities having a population of one million or more, and shall
8 supersede any local law, rule, regulation, code or ordinance regulating
9 the establishment, implementation and enforcement of an animal cruelty
10 or abuser registry.
11 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
12 have become a law.
