Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Judiciary committee reviews amended H.578: expands definitions, adds new sanctions and seizure rules
Summary
The Judiciary Committee on Feb. 5 reviewed draft 2.1 of a strike‑all amendment to H.578. Legislative counsel Eric Fitzpatrick walked members through changes that expand prohibited conduct (including certain visual images), move the 'working with' definition to the definitions section, and broaden court sanctions while revising forfeiture and seizure timelines.
Eric Fitzpatrick of the Office of Legislative Council walked the Judiciary Committee through version 2.1 of the strike‑all amendment to H.578 on Feb. 5, outlining how the draft expands the scope of prohibited animal cruelty, clarifies definitions, and adjusts court‑imposed sanctions and forfeiture procedures.
Fitzpatrick told the committee the draft moves the definition of "working with" from a single subdivision into the bill’s definitions section so the phrase will apply consistently across the subchapter. "So what's added there, you see working with means working or volunteering," he said, noting the committee had asked that volunteers — including independent contractors — be covered.
The draft also expands what can trigger misdemeanor or felony charges. Fitzpatrick said the definition of prohibited sexual/abusive conduct with an animal was broadened to include certain visual images, and that the draft adds the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
