I am sharing this complete with research and comment by animal advocate Cassandre Miller : Animal Cruelty is a Misdemeanor in OHIO...we are one of the few states that have not passed a law making it a felony..The Bills sit at the Statehouse ...STAGNANT..sadly! We need to all get together and be the voice for our voiceless...It has been proven that animal cruelty leads to child abuse, domestic violence..Please help to get these bills passed for our Ohio Animals. Individuals can learn how to work (from the comfort of home) to pass stronger laws to protect our dogs, cats, and communities and learn about the seven, important bills. Directions for finding your state senator and rep are below. Then, print out the bills. You can learn one or two a day. Share with your friends! 1. I don’t know who my state senator is. How can I find out? (Senators Brown and Portman are not your state senators. They are federal senators. We are interested in state senators because they vote on our Ohio, state bills.) Here is the link to the Ohio Senate. ohiosenate.gov/senate/index Click on the link. In the lower, left section of the page, type in your zip code, including the four digit zip code extension. This will give you the name of your state senator. If you don’t know your four digit extension, click on “US ZIP Code Search Tool” in the lower, left section of the page. Follow the directions for putting in your mailing address. Your four digit zip code will appear with your address. Without the four digit extension, you will be left with two or more senators names. You need that four digit extension to narrow your search to JUST ONE SENATOR. 2. I don’t know who my state representative is. How can I find out? Here is the link to the Ohio House of Representatives. ohiohouse.gov/ Click on the link. In the lower, left section of the page, type in your zip code, including the four digit zip code extension. This will give you the name of your state representative. If you don’t know your four digit extension, click on “US ZIP Code Search Tool” in the lower, left section of the page. Follow the directions for putting in your mailing address. Your four digit zip code will appear with your address. Without the four digit extension, you will be left with two or more representatives names. You need that four digit extension to narrow your search to JUST ONE REPRESENTATIVE. 3. What are the current companion animal bills in the Ohio General Assembly? a) HB 57, Humane Officer Training - This is a companion bill to “Nitro’s Law”, which was enacted in 2013. Some Ohio counties have NO HUMANE OFFICER. HB 57 requires the recording in the county of twenty hours of training for humane officers. Additionally, it gets rid of the residency requirement. That means that humane officers can work in more counties, not just the one in which they reside. Humane officers are the first responders to an animal crime scene. The assessments that they initially make and the evidence that they collect form the foundation upon which the case is based. HB 57 has already passed the House on June 26, 2013. It was assigned to the Senate Agriculture Committee. on June 27, 2013. Sponsor: Representative Gerberry legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=130_HB_57 b) HB 243, Psychological Evaluation for Juveniles Convicted of Animal Cruelty This is a companion bill to SB 177. HB 243 allows PETS to LEAVE a HOME OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE along with the women and children. HB 243 also aims to interrupt violence. It requires youngsters that are convicted of animal cruelty to undergo psychological evaluation. Often, youngsters that hurt animals have either experienced violence themselves or have seen it. Moreover, they may be using the animal cruelty as a “practice” for what they intend to do to human victims. HB 243 was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee on August 15, 2013. Sponsors: Representatives Slaby, Stinziano legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=130_HB_243 c) HB 274, FELONY for Animal Abuse - Animal cruelty is not a stand alone crime. Animal cruelty is often the most visible symbol in the area that others too (children, elderly, mentally handicapped) may be in danger of violence or extreme neglect. HB 274 passed the House on December 11, 2013. It was assigned to the Senate Agriculture Committee on December 12, 2013. Sponsors: Representatives Patmon, Sears legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=130_HB_274 d) HB 310 - PTSD SUFFERERS will be allowed a SERVICE DOG that can accompany them into restaurants, stores, movie theaters, and all places they need to access in order to be more mobile in their lives. HB 310 passed the House on January 15, 2014. It was assigned to the Senate State Government Oversight and Reform Committee on January 16, 2014. Sponsor: Representative Ruhl legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=130_HB_310 e) SB 177, Pet Protection Orders - This is a companion bill to HB 243. This is a domestic violence and pet protection orders bill which will allow the family PET to LEAVE the home ALONG WITH THE WOMAN & CHILDREN. This was passed unanimously by the Senate on June 3, 2014. It now moves to the House. Sponsor: Senators Skindell and Hughes legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=130_SB_177 f) SB 217, Veterinary Hospital Inspections - This bill requires unannounced, random inspections of veterinary hospitals in order to assure to standard of care of veterinary medicine and to safeguard public health. This bill aims to inspect animal hospitals to MAKE SURE they are SAFE & in good WORKING ORDER for you and your pets. SB 217 was assigned to the Senate Agriculture Committee on October 29, 2013. Sponsor: Senator Kearney legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=130_SB_217 g) Sub HB 251, Flexible Sentencing for Judges This bill allows judges the discretion to send certain felons, like drug traffickers and ANIMAL ABUSERS, to PRISON. It UNDOES a CURRENT LAW that requires the judges to look for community sanctions (like parole) in sentencing felons. Sub HB 251 was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee on March 13, 2014. Sponsor: Representative Barborak legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=130_HB_251
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 15:46:33 +0000
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