Bill > HB637

This bill establishes an animal abuse offender registry managed by the Department of Kentucky State Police, requiring individuals convicted of animal abuse offenses to register for two years for a first offense and five years for subsequent offenses, with registration periods running consecutively. Offenders must pay a $100 registration fee and an additional $100 annually, though fees can be waived for indigent individuals, and failure to pay will not prevent registration. The registry will include offender information like name, age, and a photograph, and will be accessible to the public via a website updated at least monthly. Violating registration requirements or providing false information to the registry is a Class A misdemeanor, a criminal offense punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine. The bill also creates an "animal abuse offender registry fund" to support the registry's operation. Additionally, employees of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services will be required to report suspected animal abuse observed during their job duties, and veterinarians will be mandated, rather than permitted, to report animal abuse to law enforcement or the Office of the State Veterinarian.

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https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/hb637.html