Assembly Bill A1276

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to establishing Bella's Law, which correlates animal abuse with domestic violence

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Assembly Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2023-A1276 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S7812
Current Committee:
Assembly Children And Families
Law Section:
Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:
Add §353-aa, Ag & Mkts L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: A9948
2021-2022: A3985, A10013

2023-A1276 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes Bella's Law which calls for an investigation into possible domestic violence or abuse for persons who have been accused of animal abuse.

2023-A1276 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1276
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 13, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. E. BROWN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Children and Families
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to enacting
   "Bella's Law"
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 "Bella's Law".
   §  2.  Legislative  intent.  The  legislature hereby finds that animal
 cruelty is a serious problem and that individuals  who  harm  and  abuse
 animals are statistically more likely to engage in domestic violence and
 child abuse than individuals who do not harm and abuse animals. A strong
 correlation  has  been established linking individuals who abuse animals
 with incidents of domestic violence. Therefore, the purpose of this  law
 is to establish a requirement that the state of New York office of chil-
 dren  and family services must investigate any individual who is accused
 of or investigated for animal cruelty to ensure that there is no associ-
 ated domestic or family violence and that  law  enforcement  notify  and
 coordinate  with  the  office  of children and family services in animal
 cruelty investigations and arrests.
   § 3. The agriculture and markets  law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 353-aa to read as follows:
   § 353-AA. ANIMAL ABUSE ACCUSAL REQUIRING A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE
 INVESTIGATION.  1.  DEFINITIONS.  AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING
 TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "ANIMAL" SHALL MEAN ANY LIVE MAMMAL, BIRD, OR REPTILE,  BUT  SHALL
 NOT INCLUDE FEEDER ANIMALS.
   (B)  "COMPANION ANIMAL" SHALL MEAN ANY DOG OR CAT, AND SHALL ALSO MEAN
 ANY OTHER DOMESTICATED ANIMAL NORMALLY MAINTAINED IN OR NEAR THE  HOUSE-
 HOLD  OF  THE  OWNER  OR  PERSON  WHO  CARES FOR SUCH OTHER DOMESTICATED
 ANIMAL.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00359-01-3
              

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