The Connecticut Horse Council, Inc.

LEGISLATIVE ALERT #1 January 19th 2007

The Connecticut Legislative session began on January 3, 2007, and runs until June 6, 2007. There are several bills that CHC is currently supporting or monitoring. We request that you contact your state legislators about the 3 bills below.  There will be public hearings about these bills and the CHC will post another alert once the dates of the hearings are announced.  In the meantime, please contact your legislators and ask that they SUPPORT (or cosponsor) the following bills:

 

SB 284 AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF PETS IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES: Statement of Purpose: To protect pets in domestic violence cases by authorizing a court to include a prohibition on harming a pet when it issues a restraining or protective order.

HB 5522 AN ACT CONCERNING TRAINING FOR MUNICIPAL ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS: Statement of Purpose: To establish a municipal animal control officer training program.

HB 5595 AN ACT PRESERVING CERTAIN HORSE TRAILS IN CONNECTICUT: Statement of Purpose: To preserve certain horse trails in Connecticut. {UPDATE-Hearing scheduled for 1/26}

Notes about these bills:

Senate Bill 284 is based on legislation that was recently passed in Maine, New York, and Vermont. This will permit judges to include animals of domestic violence victims in temporary restraining and protective orders so the abuser cannot sell, torture, have contact with or kill the animal. (horses/livestock will ultimately be included in this bill-CHC is currently working with senators).

 

House Bill 5522 addresses a need for training of Animal Control Officers (ACOs). Currently, there are no education or training requirements for ACOs in the state of Connecticut.  ACOs have powers to arrest owners and to seize animals, and some carry weapons. They must also deal with rabid or diseased animals, loose animals (livestock, pets), dangerous or aggressive dogs, and investigate allegations of cruelty. This bill would provide them with the tools to deal with serious animal related issues in the course of their duties.

 

House Bill 5595 names 26 specific trails within the state of Connecticut to remain open to equestrian access. CHC will have a list of those trails on our website.

 

Additionally, CHC has become aware of, and is monitoring, the following bill:

 

HB 5464 AN ACT CONCERNING COMMERCIAL HORSE BOARDING AND TRAINING FACILITIES. Statement of Purpose: To ensure the safety of equestrians and horses at commercial boarding and training facilities.

 

**We do not have enough information about 5464 at the moment, so it is being monitored. Directors from CHC have scheduled a meeting with the Representative who introduced it, and we will report back to our members as soon as we know more. In the meantime, please be assured that we will do our best to keep you informed. We ask that you check our website frequently for updates on this, and other bills.

 

Contact information for your legislators, as well as more information about these bills may be found at the Connecticut General Assembly website www.cga.ct.gov. You may also visit the CHC website at www.cthorsecouncil.org . If you have specific questions about these or any other bills, or wish to testify at the hearings, please contact CHC president Amy Stegall at legislation@cthorsecouncil.org

 

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