Committee passes Working Animal Protection Act after debate on local control

Representative Rachel Rodriguez Williams, sponsor of House Bill 63, told the Agriculture, State & Public Lands & Water Resources Committee the bill is intended to "protect legal, law abiding animal enterprise from the radical animal rights extremist agenda" and to prevent municipal or county bans that she said would harm animal exhibitors and tourism. The bill, as introduced, would prohibit cities and counties from enacting ordinances or policies that "terminate bans or unduly restrict a person from using a working animal in lawful commerce or animal enterprise," while preserving existing state laws on animal care and public health and safety.

The bill’s sponsor defined "working animal" in the draft statute as ‘‘any nonhuman animal used primarily for the purpose in performing of specific duty or function in commerce or animal…