Plain English Breakdown
Checked against official source text during the last sync.
Right to Remove Animal Abuse Convictions from Public List
This amendment allows people convicted of animal abuse to ask for their names to be removed from a public list maintained by the Office of Animal Welfare after waiting two years for misdemeanors or seven years for felonies.
What This Bill Does
- Creates a right for individuals who have been found guilty of abusing animals to request removal from the Office of Animal Welfare's public list.
- Specifies that people convicted of misdemeanor animal abuse can ask to be removed after two years, and those with felony convictions must wait seven years before they can petition.
- Requires courts to consider certain factors when deciding whether to remove someone’s name from the list.
- States that if a person gets their conviction erased (expunged), they automatically get taken off the animal abuse offender list.
Who It Names or Affects
- People who have been convicted of animal abuse offenses
- Courts and judges who will review petitions for removal from the public list
Terms To Know
- expungement
- The process of removing or sealing a criminal record so it cannot be seen by others.
- felony
- A serious crime that can result in more than one year in prison.
- misdemeanor
- A less serious crime that usually results in a fine or up to one year in jail.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill does not specify what happens if someone petitions before the required waiting period is over.
- It's unclear how courts will decide which factors are most important when considering removal requests.