HB244 Alabama 2019 Session

Under existing law, it is illegal to own, maintain, sell, or trade any canidae or felidae for which there is no USDA licensed rabies vaccine, under certain conditions

This bill would further provide for the possession of certain canidae or felidae for which there is no USDA licensed rabies vaccine

This bill would make it illegal to intentionally or knowingly possess, sell, transfer, or breed any living large felidae, wolf, or bear, with certain exceptions

This bill would allow persons who lawfully possessed a large felidae, wolf, or bear prior to the effective date of this bill to keep the animal under certain conditions

This bill would provide minimum caging requirements for any large felidae, wolf, or bear, under certain conditions

This bill would provide penalties for violations

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

Relating to animals; to amend Section 3-8-1, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to required rabies vaccines for canidae or felidae; to further provide for the possession of certain canidae or felidae; to add Section 3-8-2 to the Code of Alabama 1975, to make it illegal, with certain exceptions, to intentionally or knowingly possess, sell, transfer, or breed any living large felidae, as defined, wolf, with exceptions, or bear, with exceptions; to allow persons who already lawfully possess a large felidae, wolf, or bear to keep the animal under certain conditions; to provide minimum caging requirements under certain conditions; to provide penalties; and in connection therewith to have as its purpose or effect the requirement of a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of 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.