Legislative Alerts

The COVID-19 outbreak and preventative public health measures are impacting legislative schedules and hearings in a number of states. In some states such as New Jersey and Hawaii, in-person visits are being discouraged. Other states are currently considering various options which may include virtual hearings or other methods to continue business while limiting large gatherings.  […]

The Maryland Legislature has announced that it will go into an extended recess (and possible adjournment) on Wednesday in response to public health concerns. As a result, the House and Senate are expediting their work, and moving numerous bills very quickly, including the following: Senate Bill 625 – As introduced, this bill sought to regulate […]

UPDATE: HEARING CANCELED ----------------------------------------------------- On Tuesday, March 17, the Minnesota House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Division will be considering House File 3369, which seeks to prohibit the sale of dogs and cats by retail pet shops, is scheduled to be considered by the Minnesota House Committee on Commerce on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.  The […]

The California Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water is scheduled to consider a bill on Tuesday, March 24, that ostensibly bans the use of dogs for deer hunting.  This is a follow-up to a bill passed in 2019 that banned bobcat hunting in the state. Supporters of Senate Bill 1041 characterize hunting with dogs […]

Connecticut General Assembly Joint Committees have re-scheduled public hearings for March 16 and 17, 2020, on bills impacting dogs.  Due to continued cancellations of public events in the Legislative Office Building, the American Kennel Club (AKC) is encouraging all dog owners to submit comments via email to the respective committees. Allowing Towns to Regulate Pet […]

The American Kennel Club is concerned with Hawaii Senate Bill 2512.  The bill, which is scheduled to be considered by the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at 2:00pm in House Conference Room 329, seeks to limit the practices of surgical births, debarking, tail docking, and ear cropping by […]

Last night, the Evanston City Council voted to delay action on a measure that would significantly restrict the sale of dogs in the city. As stated in the previous alert, sales would be banned in the city unless the animals are from a shelter, a rescue, or a breeder that BOTH has a USDA license […]

AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) has learned that the Connecticut General Assembly has postponed until further notice all Joint Committee hearings scheduled for this week. Several bills proposing changes to dog policies in the state were expected to be considered by multiple Joint committees.  To review bills originally on the calendar, click here to view […]

This weekend, the Virginia House and Senate passed a Substitute version of SB 272 and the bill now heads to the governor. This Substitute included the absolute temperatures and weather conditions language, along with a new (and unclear) provision that would allow an animal control officer to assess a situation a determine the ability of […]

March 9, 2020 The City of Evanston has suspended its procedural rules and will be considering and possibly voting on an ordinance TONIGHT (Monday, March 9) that would ban the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in the city unless the animals are from a shelter, rescue, or a breeder that BOTH has a USDA […]