Under existing law, a person commits the crime of cruelty to animals if, except as otherwise authorized by law, he or she intentionally or recklessly subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment, subjects any animal in his or her custody to cruel neglect, or kills or injures without good cause any animal belonging to another.
Cruelty to animals is a Class B misdemeanor.
This bill would add acts that are done knowingly or with criminal negligence to the prohibition and make the crime a Class A misdemeanor.
This bill would provide for the crime of aggravated animal cruelty when the act of cruelty or neglect was heinous, atrocious, cruel, or involved infliction of torture to the animal.
Aggravated animal cruelty would be a Class C felony.
Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose.
The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment.
Delivered to Governor at 10:45 p.m. on May 20, 2013.
Assigned Act No. 2013-369.
Clerk of the House Certification
Signature Requested
Enrolled
Concurred in Second House Amendment
Faust motion to Concur In and Adopt adopted Roll Call 1244
Concurrence Requested
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 1136
Pittman motion to Adopt adopted Roll Call 1135
Judiciary Amendment Offered
Third Reading Passed
Read for the second time and placed on the calendar 1 amendment
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate committee on Judiciary
Engrossed
Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass adopted Roll Call 361
Third Reading Passed
Motion to Adopt adopted Roll Call 360
Faust first Substitute resumed
Faust motion to Carry Over Temporarily adopted Voice Vote
Faust first Substitute Offered
Faust motion to Table adopted Roll Call 352
Agriculture and Forestry first Substitute Offered
Third Reading Carried Over
Read for the second time and placed on the calendar with 1 substitute and
Read for the first time and referred to the House of Representatives committee on Agriculture and Forestry
Source: Alabama Legislature