Bill > SB541

This bill establishes "Brown's Law" (named after veterinarian Senator Doc Brown) which creates a new criminal offense of making a malicious false report of animal abuse and modifies existing animal abuse laws. Under the new provisions, a person can be charged with a class C misdemeanor for intentionally making a false report to law enforcement or a government agency about animal abuse if they know the report is false, intend to harass or cause monetary loss to the animal's owner, and actually cause disruption or harm to the owner. The law provides an important protection for animal owners by creating a defense for those who make reports in good faith with a reasonable belief that abuse is occurring. Additionally, the bill modifies the existing animal abuse statute, expanding the circumstances under which animal abuse can be charged as a class E felony, now including scenarios involving starvation or dehydration knowingly inflicted on an animal. The bill aims to both protect animals from genuine abuse and prevent malicious false reporting that could harm animal owners.

Labor and Employment

https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=1751491