BILL REQ. #:  H-4535.2 

Read first time 02/02/2004.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to theft of livestock; amending RCW 9A.56.080 and 4.24.320; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 9A.56.080 and 2003 c 53 s 74 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Every person who, with intent to sell or exchange and to deprive or defraud the lawful owner thereof, willfully takes, leads, or transports away, conceals, withholds, slaughters, or otherwise appropriates any horse, mule, cow, heifer, bull, steer, swine, goat, or sheep is guilty of theft of livestock in the first degree.
     (2) Theft of livestock in the first degree is a class B felony.

Sec. 2   RCW 4.24.320 and 2003 c 53 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any person who suffers damages as a result of actions described in RCW 9A.48.080(c) or any owner of a horse, mule, cow, heifer, bull, steer, swine, goat, or sheep who suffers damages as a result of a willful, unauthorized act described in RCW 9A.56.080 or 9A.56.083 may bring an action against the person or persons committing the act in a court of competent jurisdiction for exemplary damages up to three times the actual damages sustained, plus attorney's fees.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act takes effect July 1, 2004.