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Senate Agriculture Committee advances animal-welfare bills to the floor

New York State Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture · March 10, 2026

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Summary

The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture reported four animal-welfare bills to the floor, including measures on aggravated cruelty, abandonment penalties and inspections of vacated properties; one bill was held by the sponsor for further conversation.

The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture voted to report several animal-welfare measures to the Senate floor during a brief business session, the committee chair said.

The action covered bills that would amend the Agriculture and Markets Law on aggravated cruelty to animals (Senate bills 197 and 703), increase penalties for abandonment of animals (Senate bill 1741) and require inspections for abandoned animals on certain vacated properties (Senate bill 1784). A final bill on restrictions for certain surgical procedures on companion animals (Senate bill 3026) was held by the sponsor for additional conversation.

The committee treated these bills as part of an annual welfare package. No roll-call tallies were recorded in the hearing transcript; motions were decided by voice vote. Where motions were announced on the record, the committee clerk read bill titles and the chair called for ayes and opposed. Motion movers and seconders noted in the transcript include a motion to report Senate bill 197 moved by Senator Borrello and seconded by Senator Fernandez; Senate bill 703 was moved by Senator Fahey and seconded by Senator Ryan. The transcript records similar voice votes moving the other bills to the floor; specific numerical vote counts were not provided in the transcript and are not specified here.

The chair concluded the formal agenda and turned the floor over to Commissioner Ball for a departmental briefing. The sponsor held the last bill on the agenda (Senate bill 3026) for further discussion, per the transcript.

Votes at a glance - Senate bill 197 (Sen. Martinez) — amend Agriculture and Markets Law re: aggravated cruelty to animals — reported to floor (motion to report; mover: Senator Borrello; seconder: Senator Fernandez; outcome: reported by voice vote) - Senate bill 703 (Sen. Krueger) — related to aggravated cruelty to animals — reported to floor (mover: Senator Fahey; seconder: Senator Ryan; outcome: reported by voice vote) - Senate bill 1741 (Sen. Martinez) — penalty for abandonment of animals — reported to floor (mover recorded; outcome: reported by voice vote) - Senate bill 1784 (Sen. Hinchey) — requires inspection of vacated properties for abandoned animals — reported to floor (mover recorded; outcome: reported by voice vote) - Senate bill 3026 (Sen. Giannaris) — restricts certain surgical procedures on dogs and cats — held by sponsor for further conversation

Next steps Committee actions move the reported bills to the Senate floor for further consideration; the transcript indicates the committee did not record detailed roll-call tallies during the session. The sponsor held one bill for follow-up conversation.