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NY S05654
Bill
Status
2/26/2025
Primary Sponsor
Dean Murray
Click for details
AI Summary
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Expands the definition of aggravated cruelty to animals to include torturing, cruelly beating, unjustifiably injuring, maiming, mutilating, or killing any animal (wild or tame) with no justifiable purpose
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Creates a new category of aggravated cruelty when a person commits animal cruelty offenses while released on recognizance for violating any order of protection
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Removes torture and injury provisions from the general animal cruelty statute (Section 353) and elevates them to the aggravated cruelty statute (Section 353-a), effectively increasing penalties
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Adds aggravated cruelty to animals as a qualifying offense for bail consideration under the Criminal Procedure Law, allowing courts to set bail for defendants charged with this crime
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Updates gender-neutral language throughout the affected statutes, changing "his or her" to "such person's" or "such principal's"
Legislative Description
Enhances penalties for aggravated cruelty to animals by making such offense a felony, including torture, beating, or killing of any animal; makes animal cruelty, including overdriving or depriving an animal of sustenance a felony when committed while released on recognizance for violating an order of protection; allows aggravated animal abuse to be considered for bail.
Last Action
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE
1/7/2026