2015 -- S 0764

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LC001042

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY - CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, Sosnowski, Lombardi, Lynch, and Conley

     Date Introduced: March 24, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (Attorney General)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 4-1-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-1 entitled "Cruelty to

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Animals" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     4-1-5. Malicious injury to or killing of animals. -- (a) Every person who cuts out the

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tongue or otherwise maliciously dismembers any animal, maliciously, or maliciously kills or

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wounds any animal, or maliciously administers poison to or exposes any poisonous substance

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with intent that the poison shall be taken or swallowed by any animal, or who maliciously

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exposes poisoned meat with intent that the poison meat is taken or swallowed by any wild animal,

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shall be imprisoned not exceeding two (2) five (5) years or be fined not exceeding one thousand

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dollars ($1,000), and shall, in the case of any animal of another, be liable to the owner of this

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animal for triple damages, to be recovered by civil action. In addition, any person convicted under

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this section is required to serve ten (10) hours of community restitution. The community

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restitution penalty shall not be suspended or deferred and is mandatory.

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      (b) This section shall not apply to licensed hunters during hunting season or a licensed

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business killing animals for human consumption.

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     (c) Every person who is convicted of or placed on probation for a violation of this

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section, and is found to have committed said offense in the presence of a child as defined in

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subsection (c)(2) of this section, shall be subject to a mandatory assessment of two hundred and

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fifty dollars ($250), in addition to other court costs or assessments imposed.

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     (1) For the purposes of this section, "child" means any individual under the age of sixteen

 

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(16) who is the defendant's or victim's child or step-child or who is a minor child residing in or

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visiting the household of the defendant or victim.

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     (2) For the purposes of this section, "in the presence of a child" means in the physical or

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audible presence of a child or knowing or having reason to know that a child is present and may

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see or hear an act constituting a violation of this section.

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     (3) The presence of a child must be established by means other than the child's testimony.

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The presence of a child may be established by means including, but not limited to, police officer's

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testimony, photographs, evidence of violence, excited utterances, 911 tape recordings or witness

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testimony.

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     (4) The mandatory assessment fee shall be deposited as general revenue, and shall be

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used to fund treatment for children exposed to acts of animal abuse.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY - CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

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     This act would increase the imprisonment penalty for a malicious injury to or killing of

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an animal from not more than two (2) years to not more than five (5) years. In addition, it would

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impose an additional assessment if it can be proven that the convicted person is found to have

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committed said offense in the presence of a child.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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