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PRINTER'S NO. 754
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
628
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY LANGERHOLC, ROBINSON, PITTMAN, MARTIN, BOSCOLA,
BROOKS, FONTANA, YUDICHAK AND COSTA, MAY 11, 2021
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, MAY 11, 2021
AN ACT
Amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 35 (Health and
Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in cruelty
to animals, further providing for police animals; and, in
emergency medical services system, providing for injured
police animals.
This act may be referred to as Titan's Law.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 5548(c) of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended and the section is amended by
adding subsections to read:
§ 5548. Police animals.
* * *
(b.1) Injury or death.--It shall be unlawful for a person to
cause serious bodily injury or death to a police animal while
engaged as a principal or an accomplice in the perpetration of a
felony. A person who violates the provisions of this subsection
commits a felony of the second degree.
(c) Restitution.--In a case in which a defendant is
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convicted of a violation of subsection (a) [or (b)], (b) or
(b.1), the defendant shall be ordered to make restitution to the
agency or individual owning the animal for veterinary bills, for
replacement costs of the animal if it is disabled or killed and
for the salary of the animal's handler for the period of time
the handler's services are lost to the agency.
(d) Definition.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Perpetration of a felony." An act of a defendant to commit,
attempt, flee from, conspire or be an accomplice or an accessory
after the fact to any of the following offenses:
(1) Section 2702 (relating to aggravated assault).
(2) Section 2702.1 (relating to assault of law
enforcement officer).
(3) Section 2901 (relating to kidnapping).
(4) Section 3121 (relating to rape).
(5) Section 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate sexual
intercourse).
(6) Section 3301 (relating to arson and related
offenses).
(7) Section 3502 (relating to burglary).
(8) Section 3701 (relating to robbery).
(9) A violation of the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233,
No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and
Cosmetic Act .
Section 2. Title 35 is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 8158. Injured police animals.
(a) Transportation.--An emergency services provider or a
police officer may transport a police animal injured in the line
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of duty to a veterinary clinic, hospital emergency department or
similar facility if there is no individual requiring immediate
medical attention or transport at that time.
(b) Emergency medical care.--An emergency services provider
may provide emergency medical care to a police animal injured in
the line of duty while at the scene of the emergency or while
the police animal is being transported to a veterinary clinic,
hospital emergency department or similar facility.
(c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Police animal." As defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 5531 (relating
to definitions).
Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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