Title: An act relating to animal fighting.

Brief Description: Modifying animal fighting provisions.

Sponsors: Senators Regala, Carrell and Oke.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Judiciary: 1/25/06, 2/2/06 [DP].

Passed Senate: 2/13/06, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kline, Chair; Weinstein, Vice Chair; Johnson, Ranking Minority Member; Carrell, Esser, Hargrove, Rasmussen and Thibaudeau.

Staff: Aldo Melchiori (786-7439)

Background: Animal fighting is an unranked class C felony (0 to 12 months incarceration). One of the ways it can be committed is when a person promotes, organizes, conducts, participates in, advertises, or performs any service in the furtherance of animal fighting, or provides or serves as a stakeholder for any money wagered on an animal fight.

Summary of Bill: It is clarified that the offense requires knowing or intentional promotion, organization, participation in, advertisement, or performance of any service. It is also clarified that the offense includes being a spectator, as well as that the wagering activity may occur at any place or building.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Spectators at animal fights were inadvertently eliminated from the statute last year. It is appropriate to require knowing and intentional behavior so that potentially innocent people are not subject to the criminal penalties.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Carey Morris, Humane Society of the United States.