Skip to content
S1432Senate2017-2018 SessionSame asA5048

Ban Kids at Animal Fights

Official title

“Criminalizes knowingly causing a minor to attend a place where exhibition of animal fighting is being conducted”

Sponsor Patty RitchieSD-48+1 co-sponsorAffects Economy
Status
In Assembly Committee
Agriculture
Impact
4/10
Low
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 5 of 7

In Assembly · Agriculture

What's happening

This bill makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly cause a minor under 16 to attend an animal fighting exhibition.

Why it matters

  1. Expands criminal liability. The bill specifically targets adults who "knowingly cause" children under age 16 to attend animal fighting exhibitions, closing a loophole that allowed adults to evade prosecution if they involved minors without directly making them participate.

  2. Child protection focus. By defining "minor" as anyone under 16, the law recognizes the particular vulnerability of younger teens and children to the psychological and moral harms associated with witnessing animal cruelty and illegal gambling activities.

  3. Deterrence through criminal penalties. Making this a misdemeanor—with penalties including up to one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine—aims to deter adults from exposing minors to environments where criminal activity and violence are normalized, potentially preventing future criminal behavior.

  4. Broader impact on animal fighting culture. By making it riskier to involve minors, the bill may help disrupt the generational cycle of animal fighting, as children exposed to these events are less likely to become future participants or spectators.

The daily · weekday mornings

Albany, before your first meeting.

Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.

Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.

Who cares

Headline styles

Ban Kids at Animal Fights

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Patty Ritchie

Senator · Senate District 48

Chair, Agriculture

History

  1. Referred to agriculture
  2. Delivered to assembly
  3. Passed senateVote 58–1
  4. Advanced to third reading
  5. 2nd report cal.
  6. 1st report cal.664
  7. Referred to agriculture
  8. Returned to senate
  9. Died in assembly
  10. Referred to agriculture
  11. Delivered to assembly
  12. Passed senateVote 61–1
Show 4 earlier actions
  1. Advanced to third reading
  2. 2nd report cal.
  3. 1st report cal.934
  4. Referred to agriculture

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

A5048Assembly

Ban Kids at Animal Fights

In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal

Impact 3 · Low0% to pass

Full text

1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

1432

2017-2018 Regular Sessions

IN SENATE

January 9, 2017

Introduced by Sens. RITCHIE, MARCHIONE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture

AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the prohibition of animal fighting

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 351 of the agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 150 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:

4. (a) Any person who engages in conduct specified in paragraph (b) [hereof] or (c) of this subdivision is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed one year, or by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(b) The knowing presence as a spectator having paid an admission fee or having made a wager at any place where an exhibition of animal fighting is being conducted; or

(c) Knowingly causes a minor to attend an exhibition of animal fighting. The term "minor" means a person under the age of sixteen years old.

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD05097-01-7

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Sponsor's memo

Title of bill

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the prohibition of animal fighting

Purpose

This bill would criminalize knowingly causing a minor to attend an exhibition of animal fighting.

Specific provisions

Section 1 amends Subdivision 4 of Section 351 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, by adding a new paragraph (c) that includes causing a minor to attend an exhibition of animal fighting.

Section 2 provides the effective date.

Justification

Our state should recognize the extremely harmful impact on children who witness animal fighting. A growing body of research indicates that cruelty to animals done in the presence of children can damage their emotional development. Such children are more likely to become abusive, anti-social, less empathetic, and desensitized to abhorrent social behavior.

Legislative history

2015-2016: S.1795 Passed the Senate/ A.944 Reported Referred to Codes. 2013-2014: S.7775

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.