Bill > S636

Introduced Session

This bill establishes requirements for the operation of shelters, pounds, kennels operating as shelters or pounds, and veterinary holding facilities and provides for their regulation as regulated animal holding facilities. A "veterinary holding facility" is defined under the bill as any facility owned or operated by a veterinarian, veterinary hospital, clinic, veterinary boarding facility, or similar facility that houses stray, surrendered, or otherwise impounded animals as a boarding agent or holding facility for an animal control provider, municipal humane law enforcement officer, chief humane law enforcement officer of a county, humane law enforcement officer of county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or local law enforcement. These facilities are not regulated under current law and, under the bill, are to be licensed as pounds by the municipality in which the facility is located. All the regulated animal holding facilities are required to report information on the animals in each facility. The bill establishes operating requirements for these facilities and procedures for euthanizing animals. The bill authorizes the Office of Veterinary Public Health in the Department of Health to oversee enforcement of the bill's requirements and to appoint certified inspectors to make at least three unannounced inspections annually. The bill authorizes the Office of Veterinary Public Health to delegate its authority to local health authorities if the local health authority has properly trained employees to assume this responsibility. The bill requires special training for directors and certified inspectors of regulated animal holding facilities, to be provided by contract between the Department of Health and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Each regulated animal control facility is required to have a trained and certified director to ensure compliance with the bill's requirements. The bill establishes the "Proper Care of Sheltered Animals Fund" to provide grants to regulated animal holding facilities to assist them in complying with the provisions of the bill. The bill establishes a voluntary check-off on personal income tax to allow for donations for the "Stray and Homeless Animal Fund," the proceeds of which would be deposited into the "Proper Care of Sheltered Animals Fund." The bill establishes penalties, increases other penalties, and requires the penalties to be deposited in the "Proper Care of Sheltered Animals Fund." The bill establishes that violations of: 1) the bill's record keeping requirements are subject to a fine of $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second violation, and $300 for the third and subsequent violations; 2) the other requirements under the bill are subject to a fine of $200 for the first violation, $400 for the second violation, and $800 for the third and subsequent violations; and 3) third-time violators are to be subject to license revocation.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Linda Greenstein (D)*,  Shirley Turner (D)*,  Nia Gill (D), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (on 01/14/2020)