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A person convicted of animal abuse could not own an animal or work in a position where animals are present for up to 15 years based on the number of offenses, under a bill advocates pitched Wednesday as a way to protect the safety of animals and prevent abuse.
The legislation, which differs slightly between House and Senate versions (H 1824 / S 1111), was filed by Rep. Tram Nguyen and Sen. Michael Moore. At least 38 other states and Washington, D.C., already have some form of animal possession ban statutes in place. Supporters of the measure urge lawmakers to align state laws with what they say is a national trend.