HB 2440

Title: An act relating to police horses.

Brief Description: Providing immunity for police horse handlers.

Sponsors: Representatives Chase, O'Brien, Lovick, Simpson, D., Morrell, Condotta and Moeller.

Hearing Date: 2/3/04

Staff: Trudes Tango Hutcheson (786-7384).

Background:

Any dog handler who uses a police dog in the line of duty and in good faith is immune from civil action for damages arising out of the use of the police dog. A police dog handler is a law enforcement officer who has successfully completed training prescribed by the criminal justice training commission in police dog handling.

A person is guilty of a class C felony if the person maliciously injures, disables, shoots, or kills a police horse that the person knows or has reason to know is a police horse, whether or not the horse is actually engaged in police work at the time of the injury. "Police horse" is defined under that statute as any horse used or kept for use by a law enforcement officer in discharging any legal duty or power of his or her office.

Summary of Bill:

The immunity provided to police dog handlers is extended to include police horse handlers.

Any horse handler who uses a police horse in the line of duty and in good faith is immune from civil action for damages arising out of the use of the police horse.

"Police horse" is a horse used by a law enforcement agency specially trained for law enforcement work and under the control of a horse handler.

"Horse handler" means a law enforcement officer who has successfully completed training as prescribed by the criminal justice training commission.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.