Abuse of Animals HB 46
House Bill 46 "Abuse of Animals" made it through Introduction on a vote of 48-12 and has been assigned to Travel, Recreation, and Wildlife (TRW) Committee. The Committee is going to hear the bill at 8 am on Monday, February 18. In a budget session, a bill has to receive a 2/3 majority to even be introduced and considered. So the bill has received its 2/3 majority in order to be introduced and go to committee. The bill should probably be amended along the way to strengthen the penalties. Right now, it is written as a 1st offense animal fighting is still a misdeanor and then it is a felony on the 2nd offense. I think that it will end up leaving the House and going to the Senate with amendments that make a 1st offense a felony. Some folks from Jackson are coming down on Monday morning to testify in support of the bill and then hopefully we can start working the bill on the floor of the House on Tuesday or Wednesday. I am a co-sponsor of the bill. I will try to keep everyone updated on this bill through the comments below, as to how it is progressing along in the process. Also, feel free to email me at kgingery@wyoming.com to get an update and to find out what you can do to help.