Creates a task force on animal laws; requires reporting to the governor and legislature of recommendations on how to increase statewide uniformity of such.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
181
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
lishing a task force on animal laws; and providing for the repeal of
such provisions upon expiration thereof
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 386 to read as follows:
3 § 386. Task force on animal laws. 1. The task force on the state of
4 animal laws is hereby created within the department to examine, evaluate
5 and determine how to improve the relationship between animals and humans
6 and the animal protection laws.
7 2. (a) Such task force shall consist of fifteen members, each to serve
8 for a term of one calendar year. Such members shall be appointed as
9 follows: two members shall be appointed by the temporary president of
10 the senate; one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the
11 senate; two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
12 one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
13 one member shall be appointed by the attorney general; the commissioner
14 or such commissioner's designee; the commissioner of the department of
15 environmental conservation or such commissioner's designee; the commis-
16 sioner of health or such commissioner's designee; the commissioner of
17 the division of criminal justice services or such commissioner's desig-
18 nee; and the remaining members shall be appointed by the governor.
19 Appointments shall be made within sixty days of the effective date of
20 this section. Vacancies in the task force shall be filled in the manner
21 provided for original appointments.
22 (b) All appointees shall have expertise in fields or disciplines
23 related to animals, animal abuse and/or investigations including, but
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01003-01-5
A. 181 2
1 not limited to, the following areas: animal agriculture; companion
2 animals, wildlife and wild animal protection including sheltering,
3 rescue and adoption of companion animals; animal law enforcement and
4 criminal defense; and animal health and veterinary medical care. All
5 appointments shall be coordinated to ensure geographic representation
6 from the entire state.
7 (c) The task force shall be chaired by the commissioner or selected by
8 the commissioner from the appointed members. The task force shall elect
9 a vice-chair and other necessary officers from among all appointed
10 members.
11 (d) A majority of the members of the task force then in office shall
12 constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the exercise of
13 any power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci-
14 sion of the majority of the members present during the presence of a
15 quorum shall be held to be the act, determination, or decision of the
16 task force.
17 (e) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the
18 chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be
19 called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the
20 task force.
21 (f) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
22 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in
23 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
24 3. The task force established shall:
25 (a) Study laws, rules, and regulations governing animals, including
26 but not limited to companion animals, farm animals or animals raised for
27 food producing purposes, wildlife and animals used in entertainment,
28 research or experimentation or any other field that governs the use or
29 treatment of animals;
30 (b) Study laws, rules, and regulations governing the operations of
31 duly incorporated societies for the prevention of cruelty, duly incorpo-
32 rated humane societies, pounds, shelters, municipal or otherwise, and
33 pet dealers; and
34 (c) Recommend ways by which to modernize the laws governing animals
35 provided, however, that the task force shall not have authority to make
36 recommendations concerning the following: statewide standards for
37 service, therapy, guide, hearing or assistance animals, laws that would
38 limit the rights of persons with disabilities with respect to service,
39 therapy, guide, hearing or assistance animals, and laws that would limit
40 the rights of trainers of service, therapy, guide, hearing or assistance
41 animals.
42 4. The task force may establish such advisory committees as it deems
43 appropriate on matters relating to the task force's functions, powers
44 and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but
45 may be composed of task force members as well as other individuals
46 selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to
47 the charge of such committee.
48 5. The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
49 surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be
50 performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
51 ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities
52 shall provide information and advice in a timely manner and otherwise
53 assist the task force with its work.
54 6. The department shall provide staff services to the task force and
55 such other administrative assistance as may be necessary for the task
56 force to carry out its duties, functions and powers.
A. 181 3
1 7. The task force shall hold a minimum of three public hearings: one
2 in New York city; one in western New York; and one in upstate eastern
3 New York. The task force may hold additional public hearings in other
4 locations as it deems appropriate.
5 8. The task force shall make a preliminary report to the governor and
6 the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activ-
7 ities already undertaken by the task force, not later than one year
8 after the effective date of this section, and a final report of its
9 findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken
10 by the task force, not later than two years after the effective date of
11 this section and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals as
12 it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
14 have become a law and shall expire twenty-four months after it shall
15 have become a law when upon such date the provisions of this act shall
16 be deemed repealed.
