What's happening
This bill prohibits calf roping, use of flank straps, electric prods, and sharp spurs in New York rodeos, with penalties for violations.
Why it matters
Strengthens animal welfare by banning specific practices widely considered stressful and harmful to animals. such as calf roping, flank/bucking straps, electric prods, and sharp spurs—potentially reducing suffering and injuries in rodeos.
Targets not just individuals, but also organizations and venues. meaning entire rodeo operations and even event hosts can face significant financial penalties and loss of licenses or permits, increasing accountability throughout the industry.
Introduces substantial economic deterrents. with civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation (and per day), plus revocation of rodeo permits and ineligibility for state tax benefits for noncompliant venues, making rule-breaking potentially costly.
May reshape the nature of rodeos in New York. by effectively banning traditional events and techniques, encouraging either significant changes in rodeo practices or deterring these events altogether, which could impact rural economies and cultural traditions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Cruel Rodeo Practices
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to agriculture
- Referred to agriculture
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1557
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, PAULIN, LAVINE, COLTON, SIMON, GLICK, SIMONE, WILLIAMS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the prohibition of certain acts in rodeos
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. Use of animals in rodeos. 1. For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Calf roping" shall mean capturing a calf with a lasso and binding its feet or allowing it to run free.
(b) "Electric prod" shall mean a handheld device used to make cattle or other livestock move by striking or poking such animal with such device which shocks such animal with a high voltage, low current electric shock.
(c) "Flank strap" or "bucking strap" shall mean a strap or rope which is tightly cinched around the abdomen of a horse or bull causing such animal to buck.
(d) "Person" shall mean any individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, joint venture, association, trust, estate or any other legal entity, and any officer, member, shareholder, director, employee, agent or representative of any such entity.
(e) "Rodeo" shall mean a public exhibition in which skills such as riding bulls or broncos, or roping animals, are displayed.
(f) "Spur with a fixed or sharpened rowel" shall mean a sharp prod fixed to the heel of the rider of an animal which is used to enhance or increase the intensity of the bucking of the animal.
2. No person in a rodeo shall:
(a) engage in calf roping;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04090-01-5
(b) use flank straps or bucking straps on horses, bulls, cattle, or other livestock;
(c) use electric prods on horses, bulls, cattle, or other livestock; or
(d) use spurs with fixed or sharpened rowels on horses, bulls, cattle, or other livestock.
3. (a) Any person that violates the provisions of this section, or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto, may be assessed, by the commissioner, a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars for each such violation. Each violation and each day during which a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation.
(b) Any person that violates the provisions of this section, shall have any permit or license to operate as a rodeo revoked.
4. Any venue that hosts a rodeo that violates the provisions of this section, or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto, shall lose its eligibility for any state tax abatements.
§ 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.