Bill Text: NY A00041 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Bill 41

Introduced

Bill Title: Establishes that animals are sentient beings capable of experiencing pain, stress, and fear and establishes an animal can be a victim of a crime.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to agriculture [A00041 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A00041-Introduced.html




                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           41

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 4, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Agriculture

        AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation  to  estab-
          lishing animals as sentient beings

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a  new
     2  section 385 to read as follows:
     3    § 385. Animals as sentient beings.  The Legislature finds and declares
     4  that  animals  are sentient beings capable of experiencing pain, stress,
     5  and fear. It is the policy of New York that, in order to protect animals
     6  from experiencing pain, stress, or fear at human hands, animals  are  to
     7  be  treated  humanely.  For that reason, animals shall be considered the
     8  victims of animal cruelty crimes and shall be treated as such in a court
     9  of law.
    10    § 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.





         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01350-01-3