2022 -- H 6624

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LC003169

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY

ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representative Arthur J. Corvese

     Date Introduced: January 06, 2022

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 4 of the General Laws entitled "ANIMALS AND ANIMAL

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HUSBANDRY" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 1.3

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ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY ACT

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     4-1.3-1. Title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Animal Abuser Registry Act".

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     4-1.3-2. Legislative findings.

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     (a) The general assembly finds and determines that animal cruelty is a serious problem

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resulting in the abuse of many animals each year and that while the state of Rhode Island has

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criminalized the cruel treatment of animals, animal abuse and cruelty continues to occur throughout

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the state.

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     (b) The general assembly further finds and determines that people who have abused

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animals in the past are likely to do so in the future and studies show that there is a nearly one

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hundred percent (100%) recidivism rate for certain types of abuse such as animal hoarding.

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     (c) The general assembly further finds and determines that individuals who abuse animals

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are statistically more likely to commit violent acts against humans and, in particular, the general

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assembly also determines that a strong correlation has been established linking individuals who

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abuse animals with incidents of domestic violence.

 

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     (d) The general assembly further finds and determines that animals in need of homes need

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to be protected from potential abusers.

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     (e) The general assembly further finds and determines that it is in the best interest of the

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residents of the state of Rhode Island and their animals that an online registry be established

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identifying individuals residing in the state convicted of animal abuse crimes that will prevent those

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individuals convicted of animal cruelty from adopting, purchasing, or otherwise obtaining animals

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from any animal shelter, pet seller, or other person or entity involved in the exchange of animals

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by adoption, sale, or other means.

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     4-1.3-3. Definitions.

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     The following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

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     (1) "Animal" means any living mammal (except a human being), bird, reptile, amphibian,

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or fish.

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     (2) "Animal abuse crime" means any of the crimes contained in title 4 "animals and animal

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husbandry" where the offense is punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.

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     (3) "Animal abuse offender" means any person eighteen (18) years of age, or older,

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convicted of an animal abuse crime, except youthful offenders whose convictions or adjudications

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include sealed records.

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     (4) "Animal abuser registry" means the online registry established and maintained by the

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department of public safety for registering any person convicted of an animal abuse crime.

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     (5) "Animal shelter" means any public or privately owned organization including, but not

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limited to, any duly incorporated humane society, pound, animal protective association or animal

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rescue group which maintains buildings, structures, or other property for the purpose of harboring

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animals which may be stray, unwanted, lost, abandoned, or abused and seeks to find appropriate

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temporary or permanent homes for such animals.

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     (6) "Conviction" or "convicted" means any instance wherein:

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     (i) A judgment of conviction has been entered against any person for an animal abuse

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crime; or

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     (ii) There has been a finding of guilty for an animal abuse offense, regardless of whether

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an appeal is pending; or

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     (iii) There has been a plea of guilty or nolo contendere for an animal abuse offense,

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regardless of whether an appeal is pending; or

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     (iv) There has been an admission of sufficient facts or a finding of delinquency of a minor

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for an animal abuse offense, whether or not an appeal is pending.

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     (7) "Farm animal" means an animal used in the production of human or animal food, feed

 

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or fiber.

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     (8) "Pet seller" means any individual, person, partnership, firm, corporation or other legal

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entity which offers animals for sale or is engaged in the sale, exchange, or other transfer of

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ownership of animals.

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     (9) "Service animal" means any dog or miniature horse that has been individually trained

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to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities as defined by the "Americans with

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Disabilities Act of 1990" 42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq.

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     4-1.3-4. Establishing an animal abuser registry.

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     (a) The department of public safety is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to

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establish an online animal abuser registry that shall contain the names and residence information

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of all available animal abuse offenders living in Rhode Island who are convicted of an animal abuse

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crime on or after the effective date of this chapter. The online registry will be maintained by the

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department of public safety and shall be listed on their official website. The online animal abuser

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registry shall also contain links to other registries to be used as informational resources by animal

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shelters, pet sellers, or other persons when they shall sell, exchange or otherwise transfer the

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ownership of any animal.

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     (b) The registry shall contain the required information about each animal abuse offender

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for a period of not more than fifteen (15) years following their release from incarceration or, if not

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incarcerated, from the date of the judgment of conviction. Any currently or previously registered

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animal abuse offender convicted of a subsequent animal abuse crime shall be placed on the animal

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abuser registry for life, following the second conviction. Upon notification to the department of

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public safety, of a successful appeal of a conviction of an animal abuse crime by an individual who

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has been required to register pursuant to this chapter, the registration information for that individual

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shall be removed from the animal abuser registry, within five (5) days following the notification.

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     4-1.3-5. Registry requirements.

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     (a) All animal abuse offenders who reside in Rhode Island and who are convicted of an

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animal abuse crime on or after the effective date of this chapter must register with the animal abuser

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registry within five (5) days of their release from incarceration or, if not incarcerated, from the date

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of their judgment of conviction.

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     (b) Whenever a person is convicted of an animal abuse crime, the prosecuting department

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shall forward to the department of public safety the name and address of the convicted person,

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along with the name of the animal abuse crime the person was convicted of, thereby notifying the

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department of public safety, that the person is required to register with the animal abuser registry.

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     (c) Each person required to register with the animal abuser registry shall submit the

 

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following information to the attorney general's office:

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     (1) Their name and any aliases they may be known by;

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     (2) Their residence address;

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     (3) Their date of birth; and

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     (4) A photograph of the front of their head and shoulders, not less than two inches (2") by

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three inches (3") or a digital image commonly known as a digital photograph of the front of their

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head and shoulders.

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     (d) Every person required to register with the animal abuser registry, shall update their

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registry information within five (5) days of any change of residential address and/or upon any

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official change of name.

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     (e) Every person required to register with the animal abuser registry shall pay a fee of one

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hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) to the department of public safety, at the time of registration.

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     (f) The department of public safety is hereby authorized and empowered to promulgate

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such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement and administer the animal abuser

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registry.

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     4-1.3-6. Prohibition of animal shelters and pet sellers from transferring animal

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ownership to animal abuse offenders.

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     (a) No animal shelter, pet seller, or other person or entity located in this state shall sell,

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exchange or otherwise transfer the ownership of any animal to any person having resided in this

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state and listed as an animal abuse offender on the animal abuser registry, nor shall such animal

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abuse offender be allowed to retain possession of any currently owned animals. Prior to the sale,

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exchange, or other transfer of ownership of any animal; the animal shelter, pet seller, or other

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person or entity is required to examine the animal abuser registry to confirm that the name of the

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potential owner of the animal, is not listed.

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     (b) This section shall not apply to farm animals for farmers, nor to service animals for

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people with disabilities.

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     4-1.3-7. Penalties.

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     (a) Any animal abuse offender required to register with the animal abuser registry who fails

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to so register shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by incarceration for a period of not more

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than one year, a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.

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     (b) Any animal abuse offender who violates the prohibition against possessing, owning,

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adopting, or purchasing an animal, except for farm animals for farmers, and service animals for

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people with disabilities, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by incarceration for a period

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of not more than one year, a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.

 

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     (c) Any animal shelter, pet seller or other individual or entity that violates §4-1.3-6 shall

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be guilty of a violation and subject to a fine not to exceed one thousand ($1,000) dollars. It shall

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not be a violation of this chapter, if the animal shelter, pet seller, or other individual or entity

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checked with the animal abuser registry and the name did not appear thereon.

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     4-1.3-8. Severability.

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     If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is

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held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter, which

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can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of

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this chapter are declared to be severable.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2023.

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LC003169

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRY

ACT

***

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     This act would create the "animal abuser registry act" which would require all persons

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convicted of felonies involving animal abuse, to register with an online registry to be established

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and maintained by the department of public safety.

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     This act would take effect on January 1, 2023.

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LC003169

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