PRINTER'S NO. 259
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
164
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY STEPHENS, HARKINS, RAVENSTAHL, KOTIK, SCHLOSSBERG,
O'NEILL, O'BRIEN, JAMES, SCHWEYER, WATSON, KILLION, FARRY,
BOBACK, MATZIE, HARPER, CONKLIN, SANTARSIERO, COHEN, TAYLOR,
HARHAI, DAVIS, DEASY, KORTZ, CARROLL, LONGIETTI, SNYDER,
MURT, FRANKEL, BAKER, KAUFFMAN, D. MILLER, A. HARRIS,
SAINATO, MAHER, DiGIROLAMO, GOODMAN, D. COSTA, QUINN, GRELL,
GINGRICH, M. K. KELLER, MACKENZIE, PICKETT, READSHAW,
GIBBONS, HACKETT, GILLEN, GILLESPIE, DEAN, TOBASH, McCARTER
AND SAMUELSON, FEBRUARY 2, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 2, 2015
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in riot, disorderly conduct and
related offenses, further providing for the offense of
cruelty to animals.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 5511(q) of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition and the
section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
ยง 5511. Cruelty to animals.
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(h.2) Possession of animal fighting paraphernalia.-- In
addition to any other penalty provided by law, a person commits
a misdemeanor of the third degree if he knowingly owns or
possesses animal fighting paraphernalia.
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(q) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection:
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"Animal fighting paraphernalia." Any device, implement,
object, facility, space or drug used, or intended to be used,
for animal fighting, to train an animal for animal fighting or
in furtherance of animal fighting. In determining whether an
object is animal fighting paraphernalia, a court or other
authority should consider statements by an owner or by anyone in
control of the object concerning its use, any prior convictions
under Federal or State law relating to animal fighting, the
proximity of the object in time and space to the direct
violation of this section, direct or circumstantial evidence of
the intent of the accused to deliver the object to persons whom
he or she knows or should reasonably know intends to use the
object to facilitate a violation of this section, oral or
written instructions provided with or in the vicinity of the
object concerning its use, descriptive materials accompanying
the object which explain or depict its use and all other
logically relevant factors.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20150HB0164PN0259 - 2 -
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