Bills propose new penalties for animal cruelty convictions

Maryland House Bill 336, crossfiled as Senate Bill 445 would require a court to order a defendant convicted of a certain charges of animal cruelty, as a condition of sentencing, to assign ownership of a the animal(s) to the agency or organization that confiscated the animal(s), for disposal, at the discretion of that agency or organization and to pay, in addition to any other fines and costs, all reasonable costs incurred in removing, feeding, housing, treating, or euthanizing an animal confiscated from the defendant.

This bill would allow the rescues and animal welfare agencies who have custody of confiscated animals to move forward with adopting out these animals, if possible, or to euthanize them, if necessary.

The House bill has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, which held a hearing on February 9. On the Senate side, it has been assigned to the Senate Judicial proceeding Committee, which will hold a hearing on February 22. Click here for the full text of the bill.

Here is the House Committee roster:

Chair: Joseph F. Vallario, Jr. Vice Chair: Kathleen M. Dumais

Tiffany S. Alston, Curt Anderson, Sam Arora, Jill P. Carter, Luke H. Clippinger, Jr., John W. E. Cluster, Jr., Frank M. Conaway, Jr., Don Dwyer, Jr., Michael J. Hough, Kevin Kelly, Susan C. Lee, Susan K. McComas ,Michael A. McDermott, Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr., Neil C. Parrott, Luiz R. S. Simmons, Michael D. Smigiel, Sr., Kris Valderrama, Geraldine Valentino-Smith, Jeffrey D. Waldstreicher

Here is the Senate Committee roster:

Chair: Brian E. Frosh Vice Chair: Lisa A. Gladden

James Brochin, Joseph M. Getty, Jennie M. Forehand, Nancy Jacobs, Victor Ramirez, Jamie Raskin, Christopher B. Shank, Norman R. Stone, Jr. Bobby Zirkin

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