A00162 Summary:

BILL NOA00162
 
SAME ASNo Same As
 
SPONSORRosenthal L
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSRPerry
 
Add 382, Ag & Mkts L
 
Creates a task force on animal laws and requires reporting to the governor and legislature of recommendations on how to increase statewide uniformity of such.
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A00162 Actions:

BILL NOA00162
 
01/06/2021referred to agriculture
01/05/2022referred to agriculture
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A00162 Committee Votes:

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A00162 Floor Votes:

There are no votes for this bill in this legislative session.
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A00162 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A162
 
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L
  TITLE OF BILL: 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   PURPOSE: This bill creates a task force to study the various methods and strate- gies employed State-wide to investigate animal abuse and enforce anti-a- buse laws.   SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section one amends the agriculture and markets law by adding anew section 381. Section two sets forth the effective date.   JUSTIFICATION: Across the State of New York, investigations into animal cruelty and the enforcement of anti-abuse laws vary widely by county or municipality. While New York City utilizes humane law enforcement to conduct investi- gations and enforce anti-animal abuse laws, other jurisdictions rely on traditional law enforcement agencies such as the police department and district attorneys. Certain localities are well funded and use sophisti- cated strategies to combat abuse while others lack the requisite staff- ing and technology. This legislation will create a task force to investigate these disparate practices. The ultimate goal of this task force is to present a compre- hensive, unified view of the State's animal protection strategies. It is certain that as information is shared more effectively among agencies, limited resources available can be employed with much greater efficien- cy.   LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 2019-20: A.277 - Referred to Agriculture 2017-18: A.1279-D - Reported to Codes; S.2557-D - Referred to Agricul- ture 2015-16: A.346-A - Referred to Agriculture; S.6919 - Referred to Agri- culture 2013-14: A.741 - Referred to Agriculture 2011-12: A.9576 - Referred to Agriculture   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Undetermined.   EFFECTIVE DATE: This bill shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law and shall expire twenty-four months after it shall have become a law when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
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A00162 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                           162
 
                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                       (Prefiled)
 
                                     January 6, 2021
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M.  of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
          PERRY -- 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 382 to read as follows:
     3    § 382. 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 his or her designee; the commissioner of the department  of  environ-
    15  mental  conservation  or his or her designee; the commissioner of health
    16  or his or her designee; the commissioner of  the  division  of  criminal
    17  justice services or his or her designee; and the remaining members shall
    18  be  appointed  by  the governor. Appointments shall be made within sixty
    19  days of the effective date of this section. Vacancies in the task  force
    20  shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments.
    21    (b)  All  appointees  shall  have  expertise  in fields or disciplines
    22  related to animals, animal abuse and/or  investigations  including,  but
    23  not  limited  to,  the  following  areas:  animal agriculture; companion
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00351-01-1

        A. 162                              2
 
     1  animals, wildlife  and  wild  animal  protection  including  sheltering,
     2  rescue  and  adoption  of  companion animals; animal law enforcement and
     3  criminal defense; and animal health and veterinary medical  care.    All
     4  appointments  shall  be  coordinated to ensure geographic representation
     5  from  the entire state.
     6    (c) The task force shall be chaired by the commissioner or selected by
     7  the commissioner from the appointed members.  The task force shall elect
     8  a vice-chair and other  necessary  officers  from  among  all  appointed
     9  members.
    10    (d)  A  majority of the members of the task force then in office shall
    11  constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the  exercise  of
    12  any  power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci-
    13  sion of the majority of the members present during  the  presence  of  a
    14  quorum  shall  be  held to be the act, determination, or decision of the
    15  task force.
    16    (e) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the  call  of  the
    17  chair.  Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be
    18  called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members  of  the
    19  task force.
    20    (f)  Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
    21  services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses  incurred  in
    22  the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
    23    3. The task force established shall:
    24    (a)  Study  laws,  rules, and regulations governing animals, including
    25  but not limited to companion animals, farm animals or animals raised for
    26  food producing purposes, wildlife and  animals  used  in  entertainment,
    27  research  or experimentation or any other  field that governs the use or
    28  treatment of animals;
    29    (b) Study laws, rules, and regulations  governing  the  operations  of
    30  duly incorporated societies for the prevention of cruelty, duly incorpo-
    31  rated  humane  societies,  pounds, shelters, municipal or otherwise, and
    32  pet dealers; and
    33    (c) Recommend ways by which to modernize the  laws  governing  animals
    34  provided,  however, that the task force shall not have authority to make
    35  recommendations  concerning  the  following:  statewide  standards   for
    36  service,  therapy, guide, hearing or assistance animals, laws that would
    37  limit the rights of persons with disabilities with respect  to  service,
    38  therapy, guide, hearing or assistance animals, and laws that would limit
    39  the rights of trainers of service, therapy, guide, hearing or assistance
    40  animals.
    41    4.  The  task force may establish such advisory committees as it deems
    42  appropriate on matters relating to the task  force's  functions,  powers
    43  and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but
    44  may  be  composed  of  task  force  members as well as other individuals
    45  selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific  to
    46  the charge of such committee.
    47    5.  The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
    48  surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and  duties  be
    49  performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
    50  ty.  All  state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities
    51  shall provide information and advice in a timely  manner  and  otherwise
    52  assist the task force with its work.
    53    6.   The department shall provide staff services to the task force and
    54  such other administrative assistance as may be necessary  for  the  task
    55  force to carry out its duties, functions and powers.

        A. 162                              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.
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