New Jersey Legislature Proposed Bills Bills to Watch We are providing this important information and would appreciate your input. A909/S1956 Prohibit product testing with traditional animal test methods if federally recommended alternative test method exists. 1/10/2006 Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee 2/27/2006 Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading. Passed Assembly vote 2/22. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A1000/909_I1.PDF HR137/S261 Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007. Introduced in the US House of Representatives and Senate. Would increase the penalties for dog fighting and cock fighting. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:s.00261: S2246 Requires court to issue animal protective orders against persons found guilty of abusing animals. 10/16/2006 Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/S2500/2246_I1.HTM A1432/S695 Increases maximum municipal dog license fee from $7 to $21. This bill passed the Assembly and Senate on 12/11. 1/24/2007 Approved P.L.2007, c.7. Bills and Joint Resolutions Signed by the Governor http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/S1000/695_R1.HTM A2649 Recodifies Title 4 criminal animal cruelty offenses in State criminal code; increases level of certain offenses and crimes; establishes new offenses; revises civil penalties; repeals various sections of law; designated as Angel's Law. 1/29/2007 Assembly Floor Amendment Passed. 2/22/2007 Assembly Floor Amendment Passed. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A3000/2649_R1.PDF *A2649 is likely coming up for a vote in the Senate shortly. AWFNJ does not support the bill in its current form and urges you to contact your representative and ask him/her to vote no on A2649. Among the issues AWFNJ finds with the current version are: additional, confusing notification requirements of individuals whose animals are impounded, the extension of current holding periods, and exceptions allowing for early euthanasia of stray animals. A2820/S2820 Prohibits use of certain underwriting guidelines by insurers pertaining to dogs harbored on the insured property. 6/22/06 Received In Senate Referred To Senate Commerce Committee. 2/8/2007 Reported from Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A3000/2820_I1.HTM A3192: Authorizes civil action for certain economic damages against owner or keeper of pet animal that injures or kills another person's pet animal. Moved out of committee 6/12/06 with amendments. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A3500/3192_I1.HTM S615 Prohibits trapping of cats and dogs; limits trapping to animal control officers, members of SPCA and volunteers of Trap-Neuter-Return program. Withdrawn from hearing for additional work. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A3000/2615_I1.HTM S1681 Requires coordination of emergency operations plans and creation of emergency plan for certain animals. 6/22/2006 Substituted by A1929 (2R) http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/S2000/1681_S1.HTM A2773/S1705: Establishes animal cruelty offenses pertaining to chaining or other restraint of animals Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and introduced and referred to the Senate Economic Growth Committee http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp?BillNumber=S1705 S801 "Responsible Pit Bull Ownership Licensing Act" - authorizes municipalities to require a license for a person to own, keep or harbor a pit bull. htp://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/S1000/801_I1.HTM The Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey is opposed to breed specific legislation and is deeply concerned about the unfair burden this bill would place on responsible dog owners, animal shelters and municipalities while not producing the affect desired by the bill’s author. This bill was referred to the Senate Economic Growth committee in January 06. We encourage you to write to Senator Sharpe James and your local representatives. For contact information to Senator Sharpe James, go to: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/james.asp For more information on breed specific bills go to this link: http://www.awfnj.org/assets/cms/breed_specific_laws.pdf To find your state legislators, go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp or http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp To find your US congressional representatives, go to: http://action.fund.org/directory © 2002-2007 NJCACOA. All Rights Reserved.