Date: 01/28/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1062

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 15-1062 to the Committee of the WPASS



09:44 AM -- HB 15-1062

Representatives Lebsock and Melton, cosponsors, presented House Bill 15-1062, concerning an increase in penalties for persons who engage in the act of animal fighting, and distributed a summary of the bill to the committee (Attachment A). Current law allows for judicial discretion in imposing fines for the offense of animal fighting. The bill imposes a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 for the first offense of animal fighting and minimum fine of $5,000 for the second offense and each subsequent offense. Committee discussion ensued.

150128 AttachA.pdf150128 AttachA.pdf

09:53 AM -- Dr. William Fredrigill, Colorado Veterinary Medical Association, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Fredrigill discussed the act of animal fighting, qualifying the act as a premeditated act of cruelty towards animals, and detailed the extent of injuries to dogs, specifically pit bulls, when two dogs are in a fight and when a larger breed fights with a smaller breed. Dr. Fredrigill answered questions from the committee regarding how many animal fighting cases he comes across in his practice and how a veterinarian determines that an animal has been subject to organized animal fighting. Committee discussion ensued on the topic.

10:08 AM

Representatives Lebsock and Melton gave the committee further testimony regarding the amount of prosecutions and convictions of persons who engage in animal fighting.

10:14 AM -- Jessica Morgan, Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Morgan gave some examples and specifics of the act of animal fighting and explained that there is a low number of prosecutions of animal fighting due to the fact that animal fighting is associated with other crimes.

Representatives Melton and Lebsock concluded their comments on the bill, and the committee made final statements regarding the bill.
BILL:HB15-1062
TIME: 10:21:48 AM
MOVED:Lebsock
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1062 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-2.
SECONDED:Brown
VOTE
Arndt
Yes
Becker J.
Yes
Brown
Yes
Buck
No
Coram
Yes
Danielson
Yes
Dore
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Saine
No
Becker K.
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




10:23 AM

The committee adjourned.