What's happening
This bill increases penalties for animal fighting and aggravated cruelty to animals, including longer prison terms and higher fines.
Why it matters
Reclassifies certain animal fighting offenses from misdemeanors to felonies. , increasing the seriousness of these crimes in the eyes of the law and potentially leading to more severe consequences for offenders.
Substantially extends maximum prison sentences and increases fines for animal fighting and aggravated cruelty. , signaling a stronger deterrent effect and reflecting greater societal condemnation of these acts.
Mandates psychiatric evaluation and possible mental health treatment for those convicted of aggravated cruelty to animals. , recognizing a potential link between this behavior and underlying mental health issues, and aiming to reduce recidivism through intervention.
May impact plea bargaining, prosecutorial decisions, and incarceration rates. by raising the stakes for those charged with these offenses, which could influence how these cases are handled in the criminal justice system.
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
Increase Animal Cruelty Penalties
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
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.
Increase Animal Cruelty Penalties
In Senate Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor James Tedisco
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
730
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to increasing certain penalties for violating the prohibition of animal fighting and for aggravated cruelty to animals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 2 of section 351 of the agriculture and markets law, as amended by chapter 190 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows:
Any person who engages in any of the following conduct is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed [four] six years, or by a fine not to exceed [twenty-five] thirty thousand dollars, or by both such fine and imprisonment:
§ 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 3 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:
(a) Any person who engages in conduct specified in paragraph (b) of this subdivision is guilty of a [misdemeanor] felony and is punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed [one year] four years, or by a fine not to exceed [fifteen] twenty thousand dollars, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
§ 3. Paragraph (a) of 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:
(a) Any person who engages in conduct specified in paragraph (b) [hereof] of this subdivision is guilty of a [misdemeanor] felony and is punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed [one year] two years, or by a fine not to exceed [one] ten thousand dollars, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02541-01-5
§ 4. Subdivision 3 of section 353-a of the agriculture and markets law, as added by chapter 118 of the laws of 1999, is amended to read as follows:
3. Aggravated cruelty to animals is a felony. A defendant convicted of this offense shall be sentenced [pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section 55.10 of the penal law provided, however, that any term of imprisonment imposed for violation of this section shall be a definite sentence, which may not exceed two years] to a period of imprisonment not to exceed four years, by a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars or by both such fine and imprisonment. In addition to any other penalty provided by law, the court shall order any defendant convicted of this offense, including a defendant who has been adjudicated a youthful offender, to undergo a psychiatric evaluation by a qualified mental health professional and may require that such person, at such person's own expense, enter and complete any treatment or program deemed necessary to treat any mental disease, mental defect or mental condition, which may have caused or contributed to such offense.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
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.