Florida 2020 Regular Session Status: In Committee 1 R cosponsors

SB 522 — Cruelty to Dogs

Last action — Died in Judiciary

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Cruelty to Dogs; Prohibiting a person from restraining a dog outside and unattended during a natural disaster; providing a criminal penalty; providing a fine, etc.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

27 added · 28 removed

27 line(s) added, 28 removed.

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Florida Senate - 2020 SB 522 By Senator Gruters 23-00194A-20 2020522__ A bill to be entitled An act relating to cruelty to dogs;
Florida Senate - 2020 CS for SB 522 By the Committee on Criminal Justice;
and Senator Gruters 591-02028-20 2020522c1 A bill to be entitled An act relating to cruelty to dogs;
prohibiting a person from leaving a dog outside and unattended during certain weather events;
prohibiting a person from restraining a dog outside and unattended during a natural disaster;
defining the term “restraint”;
defining terms;
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11 Section 1. Present subsection (6) of section 828.12, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (7), and a new subsection (6) is added to that section, to read:
10 Section 1. Present subsection (6) of section 828.12, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (7), and a new subsection (6) is added to that section, to read:
828.12 Cruelty to animals.— (6) If the temperature is below 32°F or the National Weather Service has issued a severe weather advisory or warning and a person leaves a dog outside and unattended, regardless of whether the dog has access to an outdoor shelter, the person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
828.12 Cruelty to animals.— (6) A person who leaves a dog outside and unattended by use of a restraint during a natural disaster commits animal cruelty, a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s.
For purposes of this subsection:
As used in this subsection, the term:
(a) A dog is considered to have been left outside and unattended if it is left in a securely fenced yard or a kennel or is tethered by use of a restraint.
(a) “Natural disaster” means a situation in which a hurricane, tropical storm, or tornado warning has been issued for a municipality or a county by the National Weather Service, or the municipality or county is under a mandatory or voluntary evacuation order.
(b) The term “restraint” means a chain, a rope, a tether, a leash, a cable, or another device that attaches a dog to a stationary object or trolley system.
(b) “Restraint” means a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable, or other device that attaches a dog to a stationary object or trolley system.
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Action History

  1. Died in Judiciary

  2. Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration

  3. CS by Criminal Justice read 1st time

  4. Introduced

  5. Now in Judiciary

  6. Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

  7. CS by Criminal Justice; YEAS 5 NAYS 0

  8. On Committee agenda-- Criminal Justice, 12/10/19, 10:00 am, 37 Senate Building

  9. Referred to Criminal Justice; Judiciary; Rules

  10. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 163 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (163)

163 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 522 do?
Cruelty to Dogs; Prohibiting a person from restraining a dog outside and unattended during a natural disaster; providing a criminal penalty; providing a fine, etc.
Who sponsors SB 522?
SB 522 is sponsored by Gruters, Joe (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 522?
This bill died with 2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 522?
Track SB 522 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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