Test Drive Our New Site! We have some improvements in the works that we're excited for you to experience. Click here to try our new, faster, mobile friendly beta site. We will be maintaining our current version of the site thru the end of 2024, so you can switch back as our improvements continue.
Legislation Quick Search
Advanced Search
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
09/18/2024 07:51 PM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20210&cosponId=33348
Share:
Home / House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: December 9, 2020 03:01 PM
From: Representative MaryLouise Isaacson
To: All House members
Subject: The Animal Welfare Cooperation Act
 
In 2017, Pennsylvania took enormous strides in cracking down on animal cruelty in passing Libre's law, finally creating felony level penalties for egregious acts of animal cruelty.

Recently, the FBI has started tracking animal cruelty crimes as a risk factor for future violence against humans, and many studies have shown the link between animal cruelty and domestic violence. Pennsylvania taking animal cruelty seriously is an important first step in protecting our most vulnerable citizens, however, we must make sure to do all we can to ensure its enforcement.

Just last year, the Attorney General stated that he would welcome concurrent jurisdiction on animal cruelty. This would permit the assistance of the Attorney General in prosecuting large scale animal cruelty cases in counties which have had little experience in doing so. The Attorney General's office would be able to both prosecute cases and train assistant district attorneys and humane police officers. Currently, the Attorney General is only able to step in on cases as referred by the District Attorney due to conflicts.

I am grateful for the willingness of our Attorney General to tackle this important issue and assist our counties in becoming a model state in eradicating animal cruelty. Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation.

View Attachment


Introduced as HB687