HB698 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Joe Faust

Republican

Co-Sponsor

Steve McMillan

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

Crimes and offenses, cruelty to animals, aggravated cruelty to animals established, cruelty to animals amended, Sec. 13A-11-14 am'd

Summary

HB698 strengthens Alabama's animal cruelty laws by adding a higher-penalty framework, creating a new aggravated-cruelty offense, and addressing local-funding considerations.

What This Bill Does

It makes cruelty to animals a Class A misdemeanor when the act is done knowingly or with criminal negligence. It creates a new offense of aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class C felony, when the cruelty or neglect is heinous, atrocious, cruel, or involves torture. It establishes a detailed penalty schedule for cruelty offenses (first, second, and subsequent convictions) with fines and jail time, and it notes local-funding implications under Amendment 621 with exceptions allowing the law to take effect without local-entity approval; it becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Individuals who commit cruelty to animals: face upgraded penalties (Class A misdemeanor for standard cruelty when done knowingly or with criminal negligence) and a new aggravated-cruelty felony (Class C) if torture or especially cruel acts are involved.
• Local governments and enforcement bodies: potential local-funding implications are addressed by a constitutional exception, allowing the law to take effect without a 2/3 vote by local entities, with the statute becoming effective a few months after passage.

Key Provisions

• Adds acts done knowingly or with criminal negligence to the cruelty-to-animals prohibition and changes the offense to a Class A misdemeanor.
• Creates aggravated cruelty to animals when the act or neglect is heinous, atrocious, cruel, or involves torture, classified as a Class C felony.
• Specifies penalties for cruelty to animals: first conviction up to $3,000 fine or up to 6 months (or up to 1 year) in county jail, second conviction $500-$3,000 fine or up to 1 year in jail, and third or subsequent convictions $1,000-$3,000 fine or up to 1 year in jail.
• Addresses local-funding considerations under Amendment 621, clarifying the bill falls within exceptions that avoid requiring a local-entity 2/3 vote, and states the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Crimes and Offenses