Senate
File
2020
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
2020
BY
McCOY
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
increasing
penalties
for
animal
neglect.
1
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
2
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Section
1.
Section
717B.3,
subsection
3,
Code
2014,
is
1
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
3.
A
person
who
negligently
or
intentionally
commits
3
the
offense
of
animal
neglect
is
guilty
of
a
simple
serious
4
misdemeanor.
A
person
who
intentionally
commits
the
offense
of
5
animal
neglect
which
results
in
serious
injury
to
or
the
death
6
of
an
animal
is
guilty
of
a
serious
an
aggravated
misdemeanor.
7
EXPLANATION
8
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
9
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
10
BILL’S
PROVISIONS
——
INCREASE
IN
CRIMINAL
PENALTY
FOR
ANIMAL
11
NEGLECT.
This
bill
increases
the
criminal
penalty
for
the
12
offense
classified
as
animal
neglect.
The
general
penalty
13
applying
to
an
act
committed
negligently
or
intentionally
is
14
increased
from
a
simple
misdemeanor
to
a
serious
misdemeanor.
15
The
enhanced
penalty
applying
when
an
animal
is
seriously
16
injured
or
dies
is
increased
from
a
serious
misdemeanor
to
an
17
aggravated
misdemeanor.
18
CRIMINAL
PENALTIES.
A
simple
misdemeanor
is
punishable
by
19
confinement
for
no
more
than
30
days
or
a
fine
of
at
least
20
$65
but
not
more
than
$625
or
by
both.
A
serious
misdemeanor
21
is
punishable
by
confinement
for
no
more
than
one
year
and
a
22
fine
of
at
least
$315
but
not
more
than
$1,875.
An
aggravated
23
misdemeanor
is
punishable
by
confinement
for
no
more
than
two
24
years
and
a
fine
of
at
least
$625
but
not
more
than
$6,250.
25
BACKGROUND.
The
bill
amends
Code
chapter
717B
which
26
provides
for
offenses
relating
to
the
mistreatment
of
animals
27
other
than
livestock
which
is
governed
under
Code
chapter
717;
28
any
game,
fur-bearing
animal,
fish,
reptile,
or
amphibian
not
29
owned,
confined,
or
controlled
by
a
person;
or
any
nongame
30
species
declared
to
be
a
nuisance
(Code
section
717B.1).
Code
31
section
717B.3
specifically
provides
for
the
offense
of
animal
32
neglect.
A
person
commits
the
offense
by
failing
to
supply
the
33
animal
during
confinement
with
a
sufficient
quantity
of
food
or
34
water;
failing
to
provide
a
confined
dog
or
cat
with
adequate
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shelter;
or
torturing,
depriving
of
necessary
sustenance,
1
mutilating,
beating,
or
killing
an
animal
by
any
means
which
2
causes
unjustified
pain,
distress,
or
suffering.
The
law
does
3
not
apply
to
a
research
facility,
provided
that
the
research
4
facility
performs
functions
within
the
scope
of
accepted
5
practices
and
disciplines
(Code
section
162.2).
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