S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    286
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, FAHY, WEPRIN, BICHOTTE, SEAWRIGHT,
   RAIA, McDONOUGH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of  A.  CUSICK,  SIMON  --
   read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the tax law, in relation to establishing a tax credit
   for the adoption of household pets
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  606  of  the  tax law is amended by adding a new
 subsection (jjj) to read as follows:
   (JJJ) CREDIT FOR THE ADOPTION OF HOUSEHOLD PETS. (1) GENERAL. AN INDI-
 VIDUAL TAXPAYER SHALL BE ALLOWED A CREDIT FOR TAXABLE YEARS BEGINNING ON
 OR AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY AGAINST THE TAX  IMPOSED  BY
 THIS  ARTICLE FOR THE COST OF ADOPTING A MAXIMUM OF THREE HOUSEHOLD PETS
 PER TAXABLE YEAR FROM A QUALIFYING ANIMAL SHELTER.   THE AMOUNT  OF  THE
 CREDIT  SHALL  BE  ONE  HUNDRED DOLLARS PER ANIMAL OR THE ACTUAL COST OF
 SUCH ADOPTION, WHICHEVER IS LESS, FOR A MAXIMUM OF THREE PETS PER  TAXA-
 BLE YEAR.
   (2) DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBSECTION:
   (A) THE TERM "HOUSEHOLD PET" SHALL MEAN ANY DOG, CAT OR OTHER DOMESTI-
 CATED  ANIMAL  KEPT  FOR  THE  PRIMARY  PURPOSE OF COMPANIONSHIP THAT IS
 NORMALLY MAINTAINED IN OR NEAR THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE OWNER OR PERSON  WHO
 CARES FOR SUCH DOMESTICATED ANIMAL, PROVIDED THAT KEEPING SUCH ANIMAL IS
 NOT IN VIOLATION OF ANY APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL
 LAW.
   (B) THE TERM "QUALIFYING ANIMAL SHELTER" SHALL MEAN THE FOLLOWING:
   (I)  ANY  MUNICIPAL  POUND  OR  SHELTER  HARBORING ANIMALS PURSUANT TO
 SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED FOURTEEN OF THE  AGRICULTURE  AND
 MARKETS LAW;
   (II)  ANY POUND, SHELTER, DULY INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION
 OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, DULY INCORPORATED HUMAN SOCIETY OR DULY  INCORPO-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01516-01-9

 A. 286                              2
 
 RATED  ANIMAL PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION THAT OPERATES PHYSICAL ANIMAL SHEL-
 TERING FACILITIES AND OFFERS HOUSEHOLD PETS TO THE PUBLIC  FOR  ADOPTION
 BY  WAY OF AN ESTABLISHED ADOPTION PROGRAM. SUCH FACILITIES SHALL NOT BE
 CO-LOCATED ON A RESIDENTIAL PREMISES; OR
   (III) ANY POUND, SHELTER, DULY INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION
 OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, DULY INCORPORATED HUMANE SOCIETY OR DULY INCORPO-
 RATED  ANIMAL PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION LOCATED IN A CITY WITH A POPULATION
 OF TWO MILLION OR MORE THAT OPERATES PHYSICAL ANIMAL SHELTERING  FACILI-
 TIES  AND  OFFERS HOUSEHOLD PETS TO THE PUBLIC FOR ADOPTION BY WAY OF AN
 ESTABLISHED ADOPTION PROGRAM. SUCH FACILITIES SHALL NOT BE CO-LOCATED ON
 A RESIDENTIAL PREMISES.
   (3)  ELIGIBILITY.  TO  QUALIFY  FOR  THE  CREDIT  PRESCRIBED  IN  THIS
 SUBSECTION,  AN  INDIVIDUAL TAXPAYER MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF ANIMAL OWNER-
 SHIP IN THE FORM OF AN ADOPTION AGREEMENT FROM A QUALIFYING ANIMAL SHEL-
 TER AS DEFINED IN THIS SUBSECTION, AND WRITTEN PROOF  THAT  SUCH  ANIMAL
 WAS  SPAYED  OR NEUTERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION THREE HUNDRED SEVEN-
 TY-SEVEN-A OF THE AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS LAW.
   (4) WHEN CREDIT ALLOWED. THE CREDIT PROVIDED FOR  IN  THIS  SUBSECTION
 SHALL  BE  ALLOWED  WITH  RESPECT  TO THE TAXABLE YEAR, COMMENCING AFTER
 JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY, IN WHICH THE PET IS ADOPTED.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and  shall  apply  to  pet
 adoptions  in  taxable years beginning on and after the first of January
 next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.