LEGISLATIVE  UPDATE

House Bill 25 increases the penalty for cruelty to non-companion animals

Status of bill: Introduced 1/18/11, passed the House Criminal Justice Committee on 5/25/11. The substitute bill passed the full House on 6/21/11 by a vote of 89 to 7 and was introduced in the Senate on 6/22/11 where it was never scheduled for any hearings by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill is now dead.
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Status of bill: Introduced 2/22/11; substitute bill passed the House by a vote of 82 to 11 on 2/15/2012 and was introduced in the Senate on 2/21/2012. The bill passed the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Committee on 5/22/2012 but was never brought to the Senate floor for vote. The bill died 12/31/2012 and was re-introduced as HB90 on 2/28/2013.

House Bill 138 requires all Humane Agents to file a copy of their training certificate with the County Recorder, where it will be available for inspection by any member of the public.

Status of bill: Introduced 3/2/11, passed the House Local Government Committee on 5/11/11 and the full House on 6/7/11 by a vote of 87 to 8. The bill was introduced in the Senate on 6/9/11 and assigned to the State & Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee where it was never scheduled for any hearings. The bill died on 12/31/2012 and was re-introduced as HB57 on 2/12/2013.

House Bill 260 amends Ohio law regarding cockfighting, allowing a peace officer to confiscate any equipment or devices used in training roosters for the purpose of cockfighting or as part of cockfighting, and establishing a 5^th degree felony penalty for the first offense and a 3^rd degree felony for each subsequent offense.

Status of Bill: Introduced 6/14/11 and assigned to the House Criminal Justice Committee where it had 3 hearings but was never scheduled for a committee vote. The bill is now dead.

Senate Bill 130 requires state licensing & inspection of anyone possessing unneutered or unspayed dogs and who produces at least 9 litters OR at least 60 puppies in any calendar year. The bill also requires anyone who buys or sells dogs at wholesale for resale to another or who sells or donates even one dog to a pet store to be licensed as a "dog retailer" just like the brokers who sell puppies to pet stores. Ohio Dept of Agriculture would serve as the regulating authority.

Status of bill:  Introduced 3/22/11 and assigned to the Senate Agriculture Committee where it had 5 hearings and passed committee with multiple amendments (including 3 by OAAO) on 1/31/12. Passed the full Senate on 2/1/12 by a vote of 30 to 0.  The bill was assigned to the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee on 2/2/2012 and had three hearings, passing committee on 11/13/2012 with only one "no" vote (Rep. Jim Buchy). Passed the full House on 11/14/2012 by a vote of 91 to 5. Concurrence between the House- and Senate-passed versions achieved 11/27/2012, Governor signed into law 12/11/2012.

Status of bill:  Introduced 3/8/12, passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 1 on 4/25/2012 and the House by a vote of 89 to 9 on 5/22/2012, signed by the Governor on 6/5/2012 and went into effect 90 days afterward.  The registration period ended on 11/5/2012. Seven plaintiffs filed suit against Ohio Dept of Agriculture, federal judge ruled in favor of ODA. Case is now being appealed.