Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb428%20intr.htm&yr=2014&sesstype=RS&i=428
Timestamp: 2020-08-04 14:50:37
Document Index: 303561653

Matched Legal Cases: ['§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§ 2132', '§19', '§19', '§19']

(By Senators Beach and Laird)
[Introduced January 24, 2014; referred to the Committee on Natural Resources; and then to the Committee on Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §19-34-1, §19-34-2, §19-34-3, §19-34-4, §19-34-5, §19-34-6, §19-34-7, §19-34-8, §19-34-9 and §19-34-10, all relating to the regulation of dangerous wild animals; creating the Dangerous Wild Animal Board; setting forth the duties of the board; requiring the board to create a list of dangerous wild animals by rule; permitting the board to issue a permit for a dangerous wild animal legally possessed prior to the effective date of the rules; prohibiting the possession of a dangerous wild animal thereafter; setting forth permit requirements; providing for confiscation and disposition of animals; permitting the suspension and revocation of permits; providing exemptions; providing rule-making and emergency rule-making authority; and establishing criminal and civil penalties.
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new article, designated §19-34-1, §19-34-2, §19-34-3, §19-34-4, §19-34-5, §19-34-6, §19-34-7, §19-34-8, §19-34-9 and §19-34-10, all to read as follows:
(1) “Board” means the Dangerous Wild Animal Board;
(2) “Dangerous wild animal,” or the plural, means a mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and aquatic animal, including a hybrid, that is dangerous to humans, other animals and the environment due to its inherent nature. “Wildlife,” as defined by section two, article one, chapter twenty of this code, “agricultural animals,” as defined in section two, article ten-b and section two, article twenty-nine, chapter nineteen of this code, and “domestic animals,” as defined in this section, are excluded. A comprehensive list of “dangerous wild animals” shall be set forth by the board pursuant to the rule-making authority of this article.
(3) “Domestic animal,” or the plural, means an animal which, through extremely long association with humans, has been bred to a degree which has resulted in genetic changes affecting the temperament, color, conformation or other attributes of the species to an extent that makes it unique and distinguishable from a wild individual of its species, and includes an animal that has been bred as a companion animal.
(4) “Person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, organization, trade or professional association, firm, limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust, estate or other legal entity and an officer, member, shareholder, director, employee, agent or representative thereof.
§19-34-3. Prohibition on the possession of a dangerous wild animal; exceptions.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this article, no person may possess a dangerous wild animal.
(b) Pursuant to the provisions of this article, the board may issue a permit for the possession of a dangerous wild animal if the applicant was in legal possession of the animal prior to the effective date of the rules to effectuate the provisions of this article.
§19-34-4. Dangerous Wild Animal Board; composition; duties; list of prohibited animals.
(a) The Dangerous Wild Animal Board is hereby established with the following members: the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources and the Director of the Division of Natural Resources, or their designees.
(b) The Commissioner of Agriculture shall serve as the chair, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources as the vice chair, and the Director of the Division of Natural Resources shall serve as the secretary of the board. The Department of Agriculture shall provide necessary staff and support services to the board as needed.
(c) The board has the following duties and responsibilities:
(1) To create a comprehensive list of dangerous wild animals;
(2) To establish minimum caging or enclosure requirements for various dangerous wild animals;
(3) To enforce the permit requirements and set the fees for permits;
(4) To issue, renew, revoke and maintain records for dangerous wild animal permits;
(5) To annually review the list of prohibited dangerous wild animals to determine if animals should be added or subtracted from the list; and
(6) To address any other matters necessitated by the provisions of this article.
§19-34-5. Permit applications, requirements, issuance and revocation.
(a) Application.-- A person applying for a permit to possess a dangerous wild animal shall submit an application that includes the following:
(b) Permit requirements and restrictions.-- The application shall state, and the person shall acknowledge his or her understanding, that:
(1) The person may not breed, receive or replace a dangerous wild animal;
(2) The person shall notify the sheriff or humane officer in his or her county immediately if the dangerous wild animal escapes;
(3) The person may not allow the dangerous wild animal to come into physical contact with a person other than the permitee, the animal’s designated handler, an employee of a law-enforcement agency enforcing this article, or a veterinarian administering medical treatment or care;
(4) The person has not been convicted for an offense involving the abuse or neglect of any animal;
(5) The person has not had a permit or license concerning the care, possession, exhibition, breeding or sale of an animal revoked or suspended by a governmental agency;
(6) The person shall permanently mark each dangerous wild animal with a unique identifier;
(7) The person shall maintain records for each dangerous wild animal including veterinary records, acquisition papers, purchase date and other records that prove ownership of the dangerous wild animal;
(8) The person presents proof of liability insurance in an amount of not less than $100,000 with a deductible of not more than $250 for each occurrence of property damage, bodily injury or death caused by a dangerous wild animal possessed by the person;
(9) The person must notify the board not less than three days before a dangerous wild animal is sold or transferred to another person out of state;
(10) The person may not sell or otherwise transfer dangerous wild animals in the state without the written consent of the board;
(11) The person shall notify the board of any plans to move or change his or her address, and may not move the animal without the written consent of the board. However, in the event of a medical emergency, a dangerous wild animal may be transported to a licensed veterinarian’s facility for treatment and care if the animal is at all times confined sufficiently to prevent escape; and
(12) The person shall comply with all rules promulgated by the board pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(d) A permit to possess a dangerous wild animal is valid for one calendar year and shall be renewed annually.
§19-34-6. Confiscation and disposition of animals; suspension and revocation of permits.
(a) Law-enforcement officers, county humane officer or the state veterinarian may immediately confiscate or euthanize any dangerous wild animal if the animal poses an immediate risk to public health or safety regardless of whether it is permitted.
(1) A permitted animal is in a position to harm another animal;
(c) In the event of the suspension of a permit or confiscation of an animal pursuant to this section, the dangerous wild animal may be transferred to another currently licensed person in compliance with the provisions of this article if the transfer would abate the imminent harm to the animal or the public as determined by the responding law-enforcement officers, county humane officer or state veterinarian. If the transfer of the dangerous wild animal cannot be accomplished without additional risk to public safety, or if no suitable facility is available for transfer, the responding law-enforcement officers, county humane officer or veterinarian may humanely euthanize the animal.
(c) Upon conviction of an offense under this article or other animal cruelty statute, the license of a person shall be revoked.
(d) The board may, for cause, revoke a license.
(e) A person aggrieved by action of the board may appeal to circuit court.
§19-34-7. Exemptions.
(2) Animal control or law-enforcement agencies or officer acting under the authority of this article;
(7) A person displaying dangerous wild animals at a fair or festival that has been preapproved by the department; and
(8) A person temporarily transporting a dangerous wild animal through the state if the transit time is not more than forty-eight hours and the animal is at all times confined sufficiently to prevent escape.
(b) Qualified exemption.-- The permitting provisions of this article do not apply to exhibitors or dealers licensed under the Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. § 2132(e), as amended, at the time the rules become effective. The board has the power to revoke the permitting exemption for exhibitor or dealer licensees that have repeated, uncorrected violations of the Animal Welfare Act, a conviction of an animal cruelty statute, or a violation of sections seven or ten of this article that apply generally.
§19-34-8. Dangerous Wild Animal Fund; creation; purpose.
(a) There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special revenue account to be designated the Dangerous Wild Animal Fund. Expenditures from the fund are for the purposes set forth in this article and are to be made in accordance with appropriation by the Legislature and in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twelve of this code and upon the fulfillment of the provisions set forth in article two, chapter eleven-b of this code.
(b) All moneys received and collected pursuant to this article shall be deposited into the fund and used for the purposes designated in this article. The fund may receive any appropriations, gifts, grants, contributions or other money from any source that is designated for deposit into the fund.
§19-34-9. Rule-making authority
The board shall propose rules for legislative approval to effectuate the provisions of this article in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The board may promulgate emergency rules pursuant to section fifteen, article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code.
§19-34-10. Criminal and civil penalties.
(b) A person who knowingly and intentionally releases a dangerous wild animal or unlawfully possesses a dangerous wild animal that does not cause injury to a person, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, may be confined in jail for not more than one year or fined not less than $500 nor more than $2,500, or both confined and fined.
(c) A person who knowingly and intentionally releases a dangerous wild animal or unlawfully possesses a dangerous wild animal that injures a person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, may be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than one year nor more than three years, or fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000, or both confined and fined.
(d) Civil penalty.-- A person convicted of an offense under this article is liable for all costs, including personnel costs, expended by the county or state agencies involved with the capture, confinement, transfer or euthanasia of a dangerous wild animal.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to regulate the ownership of dangerous wild animals by creating a regulatory board, providing rule-making authority, creating offenses and establishing criminal and civil penalties.
This bill is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.