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LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY FOR THE 2019/2020 SESSION OF THE WI STATE LEGISLATURE

 

Eyes     The 2019/2020 Wisconsin State Legislative Session is now closed. There were a number of humane bills we were watching during this session; only ONE passed and was signed into law.

     You might keep these disappointments in mind in preparing for Election Day 2020 -- ASK your candidates AND the incumbents where they stand on specific humane issues, and let them know that their replies will influence your vote.

     Below are a list of the bills, with links to more information (including sponsors, bill summaries, talking points, action taken, etc.):

  • AB 152/SB 139 - Protecting Animals of Wisconsin (PAW) Act, to make sexual abuse of animals a felony sex crime: Passed unanimously by both houses and signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers on March 3, 2020. It is now WI Act 162!

     pawprint bullet point   More about AB 152/SB 139   pawprint bullet point   WI Act 162 Text   pawprint bullet point

  • SB 469/AB 520, to make causing grevious bodily harm or death to an animal a Class I Felony: Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (End of Session).. SB 469/AB 520 (which we at WPMP called "Misty's Law") would have made it a Class I felony for someone to commit an act of animal abuse that they should reasonably know may result in grievous bodily harm or death of an animal, regardless of whether that harm or death actually occurs. We were disappointed that this bill never made it out of committee in either house.

     pawprint bullet point   More about SB 469/AB 520   pawprint bullet point

  • SB 675/ AB 760 -- Standards For Care, Tethering, and Shelter of Dogs: Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (End of Session). This bill would have set tethering and shelter standards for dogs, including limiting the allowable time that a dog may be tethered outside, and set standards for dogs being transported in the back of pickup trucks, and for dogs left unattended in parked cars. We were disappointed that this bill never made it out of committee in either house.

     pawprint bullet point   More about SB 675/ AB 760   pawprint bullet point

  • AB 298/SB 478, To prohibit sale of dogs/cats in WI pet stores: Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (End of Session). AB 298 would have, quite simply, prohibit Wisconsin pet stores from selling dogs and cats. Provision is also made in the bill for "showcasing, in the pet store, animals that are available for adoption" by shelters and rescues. This legislation came under early attack by lobbyists from a group affiliated with Petland, a national chain of pet stores, and never made it out of committee in either house.

     pawprint bullet point   More about AB 298/SB 478   pawprint bullet point

  • SB 30/AB 29, To end wildlife killing contests in Wisconson: Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (End of Session). SB 30/ AB 29 would have prohibited contests for killing wild animals and providing a penalty. In his memo to all WI legislators, the bill's author, Sen. Risser, wrote: "In Wisconsin, there is no prohibition to wildlife killing contests. These contests use various tactics to attract, manipulate, confuse, and even temporarily blind wildlife in order to kill as many animals as possible. Dogs, semi-automatic weapons, ATVs, traps, snares, and snowmobiles are often used in such contests, including participants chasing animals on snowmobiles to the point of exhaustion and running them over repeatedly." Even though the bills were introduced at the very beginning of the legislative session, neither were ever scheduled for public hearings, nor did they make it out of committee in either house.

     pawprint bullet point   More about AB 29/ SB 30   pawprint bullet point

  • SB 871, Relating to: the requirements for a court order to kill a dog: Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 (End of Session). This bill would have modified the situations under which a court may grant a judgment for an order to kill a dog. Under the bill, a court may not count an occasion in which a dog causes serious injury if the occasion involves a veterinarian or professional animal care worker who believes that the dog was not behaving aggressively when the dog caused the injury. Introduced on February 28, this bill had no chance of actually going anywhere.

     pawprint bullet point   SB 871 Bill History   pawprint bullet point

      We are already working on a strategy for the 2021/2022 legislative session, including drafts for reintroduction. We will never give up! WIth your help, we'll get it done in '21!

 

 pawprint bullet point   AB 152/SB 139   pawprint bullet point   SB 469/AB 520   pawprint bullet point   SB 675/AB 760   pawprint bullet point

 pawprint bullet point  AB 298/SB 478    pawprint bullet point   AB 29/SB 30   pawprint bullet point   SB 871 Bill History   pawprint bullet point

 pawprint bullet point   Find your WI State Representatives   pawprint bullet point

 

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