Tomorrow, March 22, at 6:00 p.m., in room 1, the Senate Law & Justice Committee placed House Bill 1234 on the Executive Session agenda for its committee vote.
As reported, HB 1234 requires an accused pet owner to fund 30 days of the cost of care for any animal seized and to continue posting additional bonds until the charges have been adjudicated. Failure to pay the cost of care, before proven guilty, would result in the forfeiture of the animal.
The original bill did not provide for a refund of these dollars if the charges are dropped or if the accused is found not guilty. It was amended; however, it now states a person “may” get a refund when not found guilty and “may” have the animal returned.
Put another way, you can be perfectly innocent of the animal welfare charges, but your money and animal are no longer yours to keep. This is beyond absurd and is setting up a system where the animal-extremists can harass and intimidate perfectly innocent citizens with the state’s full blessing.
If you have not contacted the committee or if you would like to reach out to them again there is still time. Please use our take action button to email the committee urging them to OPPOSE HB 1234. Innocent until proven guilty is a cornerstone of the American justice system and HB 1234 is an affront to this basic protection.
Don’t forget to share this email with your family, friends, and fellow sportsmen asking them to email the committee urging them to OPPOSE HB 1234.
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