Legislative Alerts

New Jersey Senate Bill 2868, which seeks to create court-appointed legal advocates for animals, has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, December 14, 2020. All New Jersey dog owners are urged to contact the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee today to respectfully request: (1) S.2868 not be approved, […]

On Friday, December 4, 2020, the Massachusetts Conference Committee charged with resolving differences in the House and Senate bills prioritizing funding for state programs in FY 2021, released HB 5164.  Among the funding included, not less than $50,000 will be expended for the NEADS Inc. “service dogs for veterans program” to train service dogs for […]

Today, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) announced final revisions to its Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulations that concern the transportation of service animals.  The new finalized rules, which will be effective in January, are intended to ensure that America’s air transportation system is safe for the travelling public and accessible to individuals […]

An important bill for dogs and dog owners in Michigan continues to advance and could be considered by the Michigan Senate very soon.  House Bill 4035 would protect the rights of responsible dog owners in the state by prohibiting municipalities from enacting breed-specific laws. As House Bill 4035 is currently written, local governments would still […]

Yesterday, the Massachusetts Conference Committee of House and Senate members released SB 2963, a final 129-page compromise bill enacting law enforcement reforms.  In addition to certification training and standards for law enforcement personnel oversight, it creates decertification and other disciplinary measures for police misconduct.  The Massachusetts Legislature is expected to vote and send the bill […]

Every four years, Texas state agencies are required to review each of its rules and consider whether they should be re-adopted, revised, or repealed.  The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the Texas state agency charged with carrying out enforcement of the state’s Dog or Cat Breeders Act, recently announced that it will begin […]

The North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board (NCVMB) is expected to have legislation filed in 2021 that would seek to amend the part of the state’s Veterinary Practice Act. Currently, North Carolina law (NC GS § 90-187.10) defines what parties are required to be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state.  That law also provides […]

In 2019, the Montana State Legislature passed House Bill 29, which changed the legal requirements for certain activities related to field trials and the training of dogs using captive-reared upland game birds.  In response, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) worked with constituent groups, including representatives from most major sporting dog training […]

Yesterday, the Massachusetts Senate debated and decided numerous amendments to  SB 4, its version of the budget bill.   We are grateful to Senator Bruce Tarr for filing Amendment #331 and the continued support for “Nero’s Bill”.  Unfortunately, in agreement with the House of Representatives, the Senate decided not to attach the bill’s text to its […]

Reminder:  A revised proposed animal ordinance is scheduled for a final vote by the Aiken County Council today, November 17, 2020.  Please see AKC’s previous legislative alert on this measure. Among other requirements, the proposed ordinance seeks to require registration with the county as an offender by any person convicted of a dangerous dog violation […]