What's happening
This bill creates a public registry of individuals convicted under "Buster's Law" for animal cruelty, restricting their animal ownership and employment.
Why it matters
Creates a centralized, publicly accessible registry. By establishing a statewide registry of individuals convicted under "Buster's Law," the bill allows the public, law enforcement, animal welfare organizations, breeders, rescues, and pet stores to easily identify people legally barred from owning or working with animals.
Mandates annual registration and ongoing oversight. Convicted individuals must register yearly and update their information if they move, ensuring persistent monitoring. Removal from the registry requires clear evidence of rehabilitation, as demonstrated by psychiatric or psychological testing and a court order.
Imposes additional penalties and funding mechanism. Besides other criminal penalties, those convicted face a mandatory annual $50 surcharge, directly funding the administrative costs of the registry and its enforcement.
Uniform statewide standard superseding local laws. The bill overrides any existing or future local animal abuser registries, ensuring consistent application and enforcement of animal cruelty tracking across all municipalities, including New York City.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Animal Abuser Registry
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to agriculture
- 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.
Register Animal Abusers' Names
In Senate Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor James Tedisco
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4913
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 5, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to establishing a public registry for persons convicted of violating "Buster's Law"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 352 to read as follows:
§ 352. Public animal cruelty register. 1. Any person who is convicted of a violation of section three hundred fifty-one or three hundred fifty-three-a of this article shall register with the division of criminal justice services. Such registration shall be made in a manner and form to be determined by the division of criminal justice services, and shall include, at a minimum, the name and address of such registrant. The division of criminal justice services shall maintain registration information received pursuant to this section in a registry. Such registry shall be in print and in electronic form and shall be available to the public as well as all law enforcement entities, district attorneys, duly incorporated humane societies, societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals, dog or cat protective associations, animal control officers, breeders of animals, animal rescues and pet stores doing business in this state. Any person required to register pursuant to this section shall register annually, or each time such person moves to a new address and shall continue to register until such person receives a court order ordering such registration to cease. No such order shall be issued until such person first demonstrates to the court that he or she has undergone psychiatric or psychological testing, the results of which indicate by clear and convincing evidence his or her capable and sound mental capacity and ability to own and properly care for an animal in a humane manner. Any person required to register pursuant to this section
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05188-01-9
A. 4913 2
shall not own a companion animal or have employment at an animal shelter, pound, pet store, zoo or other business establishment where companion animals are present. Any person who is convicted of a violation of section three hundred fifty-one or three hundred fifty-three-a of this article shall, in addition to any other penalty or term of imprisonment authorized by law, be subject to a mandatory annual surcharge of fifty dollars which shall be used to pay for costs and expenses associated with establishing and maintaining the registry required by this section.
2. The provisions of this section shall apply to all municipalities, including cities having a population of one million or more, and shall supersede any local law, rule, regulation, code or ordinance regulating the establishment, implementation and enforcement of an animal cruelty or abuser registry.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.