2016 Legislation

HB4691 – Docking Bill  OPPOSED and continue to *MONITOR*

HB5004 ANIMAL DEVOCALIZATION (WINGER C)  ** Oppose **

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that no dog or cat. Provides that a veterinarian conducting a debarking procedure must file a written certification with the debarking or silencing is medically necessary to treat or relieve an illness, disease, or injury, or correct a congenital abnormality that is causing or will cause the dog or cat medical harm or pain. Provides that violation of this provision is a Class 3 felony and may have a fine of not more than $2,500 imposed or imprisoned up to 5 years, or both fined and imprisoned.

The Illinois Federation of Dog Clubs and Owners (IFCDO) supports full enforcement of existing Illinois humane laws to properly convict and punish those who are guilty of crimes involving animals. We do not believe the creation of Animal Abuse Registry is in the best interest of animals or the state of Illinois for the reasons listed below.

HB5005 ANIMAL ABUSE REGISTRY (WINGER C) 

Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Animal Abuse Registry Fund. Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall create and in this State that has been convicted of cruel treatment, aggravated cruelty, or animal torture shall register with the Department of Agriculture within 30 calendar days after the date of conviction to be placed on the animal abuse registry. Failure to register is a Class B misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for a subsequent violation. Prohibits a registered person from owning a companion animal or being employed at an animal shelter, pound, pet shop, zoo, or other business where companion animals are present. Effective immediately.

TALKING POINTS

** Animal abuse cases comprise less than 1% of all convictions in the State of Illinois. At this time, the small percentage of convictions does not warrant the large expenditure of funds required to set up and maintain a registry.

** Animal Abuse registries are expensive to set up and maintain. The Virginia Department of State Police estimated that approximately $986,000 would be needed to design and develop a new registry and website and an additional $126,411 each year for associated support services. Additional monies would be needed to provide legal services to review and defend legal issues associated with the registry and the quality assurance for the accuracy of the data. 

** The $50 annual registry fee will not cover the cost to set up and maintain a registry. Money would be better spent hiring additional Illinois Department of Agriculture (DOA) Inspectors to allow better enforcement of Illinois humane laws.  

** The State of Illinois doesn’t maintain public databases for convicted Child Abusers, Domestic Abusers, Burglars, or Drug Traffickers, all of which comprise a much greater percentage of felony convictions in Illinois.

 ** The bill lacks definition of psychiatric or psychological testing required to be removed from the registry. No such testing exists, nor will psychiatrists and psychologists accept liability without clearly defined testing procedures.

HB5006 – Pet Vendors *MONITOR*

HB5007 Income Tax Vet Services  *MONITOR* 

HB6031- Police Animal Retirement- IFDCO INITIATIVE--  **SUPPORT**

HB6063 HUMANE ANIMAL EUTHANASIA (RITA R)  ** Oppose **

Amends the Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act. Changes references from "Director" to "Secretary". Removes a requirement for certified euthanasia technicians to renew his or her certification every 5 years. Makes changes to provisions concerning investigations, hearings, certification of record, criminal penalties, confidentiality, and surrender and restoration of certificates. Provides that the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation may summarily suspend the certificate of a euthanasia agency or euthanasia technician without a hearing, simultaneously with the institution of proceedings for a hearing, if the Secretary finds that the evidence indicates that the continued practice of the certified euthanasia agency or technician would constitute cruelty or an imminent danger to the public. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

TALKING POINTS

The Illinois Federation of Dog Clubs and Owners (IFDCO), is comprised of thousands of Illinois dog professionals.

**HB6063 seeks to remove the 5 year recertification for euthanasia technicians. IFDCO believes recertification (every 5 years) of individuals charged with euthanizing animals as outlined in current law should be upheld.

**Removing re certification
requirements for euthanasia technicians could allow technicians to
become lack in changes in drug formulations or techniques which may assist in a more humane euthanasia.

**Veterinary medicine is forever changing with new drugs, uses and actions in the care of animals and
frequently improved methods. Due to these factors the State of Illinois, requires Veterinarians
and Certified Veterinary Technicians to attended continuing
education and recertification courses every 2 years. Euthanasia technicians, who are ending animals lives should be held to the same standard.

** Handling
of animals, their treatment, and euthanasia is a difficult
process even when the animals are healthy. Some animals may
be in a compromised health state so due
diligence must be exercised to maintain compliance and prevent more harm to the animal. New methods for restraint and options should be
required for certification to insure the euthanasia
technician fully understands the complexities of the task and performs the euthanasia in the most humane way possible. 

HB6031- Police Animal Retirement    (SCHERER S)- IFDCO INITIATIVE-- **SUPPORT**

Creates the Police Animal Retirement Act. Provides that a police animal, who is deemed no longer fit for public service, may be donated by the county, municipality, or other State law enforcement agency to the officer or employee who had normal custody and control of the animal during its service. Effective January 1, 2017.

S 

SB2421- Humane Animal Euthanasia -** MONITOR **

Amends the Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act. Changes references from "Director" to "Secretary". Removes a requirement for certified euthanasia technicians to renew his or her certification every 5 years. Makes changes to provisions concerning investigations, hearings, certification of record, criminal penalties, confidentiality, and surrender and restoration of certificates. Provides that the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation may summarily suspend the certificate of a euthanasia agency or euthanasia technician without a hearing, simultaneously with the institution of proceedings for a hearing, if the Secretary finds that the evidence indicates that the continued practice of the certified euthanasia agency or technician would constitute cruelty or an imminent danger to the public. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

TALKING POINTS

**SB2421 seeks to remove the 5 year recertification for euthanasia technicians. IFDCO believes recertification (every 5 years) of individuals charged with euthanizing animals as outlined in current law should be upheld.

**Removing re certification
requirements for euthanasia technicians could allow technicians to
become lack in changes in drug formulations or techniques which may assist in a more humane euthanasia.

**Veterinary medicine is forever changing with new drugs, uses and actions in the care of animals and
frequently improved methods. Due to these factors the State of Illinois, requires Veterinarians
and Certified Veterinary Technicians to attended continuing
education and recertification courses every 2 years. Euthanasia technicians, who are ending animals lives should be held to the same standard.

** Handling
of animals, their treatment, and euthanasia is a difficult
process even when the animals are healthy. Some animals may
be in a compromised health state so due
diligence must be exercised to maintain compliance and prevent more harm to the animal. New methods for restraint and options should be
required for certification to insure the euthanasia
technician fully understands the complexities of the task and performs the euthanasia in the most humane way possible.

SB2137 SCH CD-SPEC ED-SERVICE ANIMAL (MORRISON J) **MONITOR**

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning transition services, provides that if a child uses a service animal individually trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a child with a disability, an individualized education program review must be held within 15 days from written notice that the service animal will be present at school functions.

SB3127-Animal Abuse Registry --  **OPPOSE **

Synopsis As Introduced

Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Provides that a person convicted of aggravated cruelty, a violation involving animals for entertainment, and dog fighting and a person convicted of similar offenses in another jurisdiction shall register with the county sheriff for 10 years following his or her conviction. Provides that a person with 2 or more convictions of these offenses is subject to lifetime registration. Provides that the offender shall provide the county sheriff the following information: legal name and any other names or aliases that the offender uses or has used; date of birth; current address or location; the county or counties in this State where the offender is registered. Provides that the county sheriff shall obtain from the offender: a photograph of the offender; and description of any tattoos, scars, or other distinguishing features on the offender's body that would assist in identifying the offender. Provides that the county sheriff shall establish and maintain a local registry of offenders in the sheriff's jurisdiction to be known as the local animal abuse registry. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall establish and maintain a public central registry of offenders required to register to be known as the central animal abuse registry. Provides that a sentencing court shall inform offenders of the requirements of the Act at the time of sentencing. Provides that a person subject to registration who violates these provisions is guilty of a Class 3 felony for the first offense and a Class 2 felony for subsequent offenses. Provides that an initial registration fee of $50 and a renewal fee of $25 is due at registration. Effective immediately.

TALKING POINTS

The Illinois Federation of Dog Clubs and Owners (IFCDO) supports full enforcement of existing Illinois humane laws to properly convict and punish those who are guilty of crimes involving animals. We do not believe the creation of Animal Abuse Registry is in the best interest of animals or the state of Illinois for the reasons listed below:

** Animal abuse cases comprise less than 1% of all convictions in the State of Illinois. At this time, the small percentage of convictions does not warrant the large expenditure of funds required to set up and maintain a registry. 

** Animal Abuse registries are expensive to set up and maintain. The Virginia Department of State Police estimated that approximately $986,000 would be needed to design and develop a new registry and website and an additional $126,411 each year for associated support services. Additional monies would be needed to provide legal services to review and defend legal issues associated with the registry and the quality assurance for the accuracy of the data.

** The $50 initial fee and $25 annual registry fee will not cover the cost to set up and maintain a registry. The $2 collected by County Sheriffs to develop and maintain a “local animal abuse registry” does not begin to cover the actual costs associated with development of such list. This registry is another unfunded mandate that County Sheriff Departments cannot afford.

** The State of Illinois doesn’t maintain public databases for convicted Child Abusers, Domestic Abusers, Burglars, or Drug Traffickers, all of which comprise a much greater percentage of felony convictions in Illinois

.

** Many organizations have publically stated their objection to an animal abuse registry. ACLU and the ASPCA both submitted testimony in opposition to a registry of this type in several states. In the publication “The American Prospect, Life on the List”, April 4, 2011, author Steven Yoder states:

 “There is also ample evidence that since the law passed, vigilantes have used sex-offender registries to threaten, harass, and inflict violence on hundreds of offenders and their families.”

The article further states: “In April 2010, a man used a printout from California's sex-offender registry to try to rob the homes of two registered sex offenders in Grover Beach. In November, a registered sex offender from Orlando was assaulted in front of his home by three teens who told him they knew he was a sex offender; they punched and kicked him repeatedly and stomped his dog to death before running off. That same month in the Virginia town of Hopewell, police charged 19-year-old Daniel Narron with attempted murder for using his SUV to try to run down 52-year-old Rudolph Ellis, who is on Virginia's sex-offender list. “

**Shelter and rescue groups have been used as one of the reasons why this registry is needed. An IFDCO member runs a licensed animal shelter in Illinois. She worries that this bill may actually give shelters and rescue groups a false sense of security in that they may abandon their normal background procedures and rely solely on the database to screen potential homes. Many shelters, rescues and breeders use various means to screen and approve a new buyer prior to purchase. While no method is foolproof, relying only on the animal abuse registry is a mistake.