Bill > S322

Introduced Session

Pet and Women Safety Act of 2017 This bill amends the federal criminal code to broaden the definition of stalking to include conduct that causes a person to experience a reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury to his or her pet. Additionally, an interstate violation of a protection order includes interstate travel with the intent to violate a protection order against a pet that is included within the scope of the protection order. The bill specifies the applicable criminal penalty—a prison term of up to five years, a fine, or both—for a person who commits an interstate violation of a protection order against a pet. With respect to a defendant who commits a domestic violence offense or an interstate violation of a protection order, mandatory restitution in the "full amount of victim's losses" includes costs incurred for veterinary services related to the pet. The bill directs the Department of Agriculture to award grants for shelter and housing assistance and support services for domestic violence victims with pets. Finally, it expresses the sense of Congress that states should include, in domestic violence protection orders, protections against violence or threats against a person's pet.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Gary Peters (D)*,  Tammy Baldwin (D),  Richard Blumenthal (D),  Cory Booker (D),  Sherrod Brown (D),  Maria Cantwell (D),  Ben Cardin (D),  Tom Carper (D),  Bob Casey (D),  Susan Collins (R),  Chris Coons (D),  Catherine Cortez Masto (D),  Tammy Duckworth (D),  Dianne Feinstein (D),  Al Franken (D),  Kirsten Gillibrand (D),  Kamala Harris (D),  Maggie Hassan (D),  Martin Heinrich (D),  Dean Heller (R),  Tim Kaine (D),  John Neely Kennedy (R),  Patrick Leahy (D),  Ed Markey (D),  Claire McCaskill (D),  Bob Menendez (D),  Jeff Merkley (D),  Lisa Murkowski (R),  Chris Murphy (D),  Patty Murray (D),  Rob Portman (R),  Jack Reed (D),  Bernie Sanders (I),  Brian Schatz (D),  Chuck Schumer (D),  Jeanne Shaheen (D),  Debbie Stabenow (D),  Tom Udall (D),  Chris Van Hollen (D),  Mark Warner (D),  Elizabeth Warren (D),  Ron Wyden (D), 

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (on 02/07/2017)

Official Document