Bill > HB5322

This bill establishes new criminal penalties for the sexual abuse of animals, defining "animal" as any nonhuman creature and "sexual abuse" as any act involving touching or contacting an animal's mouth, anus, or sex organs with one's own or another's body part or an object for sexual gratification. It prohibits engaging in, causing, aiding, abetting, organizing, promoting, or observing such acts, as well as possessing, selling, or obtaining animals with the intent for them to be used in sexual abuse, permitting it on one's property, or advertising such services. The bill also specifically addresses the involvement of minors, making it a felony to force a child under 18 to engage in animal sexual abuse or to commit such abuse in their presence. Penalties range from a misdemeanor with jail time and fines for basic violations to a felony with significant prison sentences and fines for repeat offenses, causing serious injury or death to the animal, or involving a minor. Convicted individuals will forfeit ownership of their animals, be responsible for their care costs, and face mandatory bans on owning animals for at least five years for misdemeanors and fifteen years for felonies, with potential extensions. Furthermore, anyone convicted of animal sexual abuse must undergo a psychiatric or psychological evaluation before being granted probation, and they will be responsible for the evaluation costs unless deemed indigent.

Justice

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=5322&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill