HB 1919 is the most comprehensive bill this session addressing animal fighting as a crime. A substitute version passed the House and will be heard in the Senate. The substitute made the following changes to the original version, as described in our previous article:

• Struck the requirement that directed the state patrol to establish a toll-free voicemail line for anonymous reporting of animal abuse; and
• Struck the requirement that the state patrol create a central reporting mechanism for local law enforcement. This change does not impact local law enforcement’s reporting directly to the FBI.

Dates to remember

HB 1919 will be heard at 10 am on Thursday, March 14 in the Senate Law & Justice Committee.