Establishes Animal Advocate Program in AOC.

A1951

ASSEMBLY, No. 1951

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Verrelli, Auth, Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson,
Assemblymen Stanley, Karabinchak, S.Kean, Assemblywoman Haider, Assemblyman
Clifton, Assemblywomen Dunn and Flynn

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes Animal Advocate Program in AOC.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act

establishing the Animal Advocate Program in the
Administrative Office of the Courts
and supplementing
Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

����
1.
��� a.� The Administrative
Director of the Courts shall establish a two-year Statewide Animal Advocate
Program.�
As part of this program, in
any criminal court
proceeding pursuant to R.S.4:22-17 et seq. or pursuant to section 1 of
P.L.2015, c.85
(C.2C:33-31)
, or in any other criminal proceeding that affects
the welfare or care of an animal, the court may order, upon its own initiative
or upon request of the State or a party or counsel for a party, that a separate
advocate be appointed to represent the best interests of, and justice for, the
animal.� If a court orders an advocate to be appointed, the advocate shall be
appointed from a list provided to the court by the
director
.� A decision by the court
denying or approving a request to appoint a separate advocate to represent the
best interests of, and justice for, the animal shall not be subject to appeal.�

���� b.��� (1)� The advocate shall:

����������� (a) monitor the case;

����������� (b) attend hearings;

����������� (c) share with attorneys for the State
and defendant any information new to the case or prepared by the advocate;

����������� (d) have access to and review all
relevant records concerning the condition of the animal and the defendant�s
actions, including, but not limited to, records from certified animal control
officers, veterinarians and police officers; and

����������� (e) present information or
recommendations to the court that relate to the best interests of, and justice
for, the animal, including placement of the animal.

����������� (2)� The advocate may:

����������� (a) consult any individual with
information relating to the welfare or care of the animal; and

����������� (b) make, prior to sentencing, an
in-person statement directly to the sentencing court regarding the impact of
the crime upon the animal.�

���� c.��� The
director
shall maintain a list of
attorneys with knowledge of animal issues and the legal system and a list of
law schools that have students with an interest in animal issues and the legal
system.� Such attorneys and law students shall be eligible to serve as advocates
on a voluntary basis under this section.� In order to be eligible, attorneys
and law students
shall
(1) be authorized to make court appearances in the
State of New Jersey; (2) be familiar with criminal court proceedings pursuant
to R.S.4:22-17 et seq. or pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2015, c.85 (C.2C:33-31),
or any other criminal proceeding that affects the welfare or care of an animal;
and (3) be familiar with an advocate�s duties as set forth in this act.� The
provisions of R.
1:21-3
of the Rules of Court shall govern a law student�s
participation as an advocate under this section.�

���� d.� Two years following the establishment of the
program, the director shall submit to the Governor, and to the Legislature
pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), a report containing
information on the implementation of the program, which shall include the
director�s recommendations on the advisability of continuing the program.�

���� 2.� This act shall take effect
on the first day of the sixth month next following the date of enactment,
except that the Administrative Office of the Courts may take any anticipatory
administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation
of this act.� This act shall apply to all cases initiated on and after the
effective date and shall expire two years after enactment.�

STATEMENT

����
This bill establishes a two-year Statewide Animal Advocate
Program in the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).� The bill authorizes
a court to appoint an advocate in certain criminal cases that affect the
welfare or care of an animal.� The program would expire after two years
notwithstanding a recommendation of continuing the program.

����� In certain criminal court proceedings pursuant to
R.S.4:22-17 et seq. (animal cruelty) or section 1 of P.L.2015, c.85 (C.2C:33-31
et al.) (dog fighting), or in any other criminal proceeding regarding the
welfare or custody of an animal, the court may order,
upon its own initiative or upon request of the State
or a party or counsel for a party
,
that a separate advocate be appointed to represent the best
interests of, and justice for, the animal.� The bill directs the court to
select an advocate from a list provided to the court by the AOC.� The bill
requires the AOC maintain two lists: one containing names of attorneys with
knowledge of animal issues and the legal system; and the other containing law
schools that have students with an interest in animal issues and the legal
system.� These attorneys and law students would serve as advocates on a
voluntary basis.�

����� The advocate is to exercise the following duties:
(a)
monitor the case; (b) attend hearings; (c) share with
attorneys for the State and defendant any information new to the case or
prepared by the advocate; (d) have access to and review
all
relevant records concerning the condition of the
animal and the defendant�s actions, including, but not limited to, records from
certified animal control officers, veterinarians and police officers; and (e)
present information or recommendations to the court that relate to the best
interests of, and justice for, the animal, including placement of the animal.

����� The bill requires the director to submit a report to
the Governor and the Legislature containing information on the implementation
of the program, which would include recommendations on the advisability of
continuing the program two years following the establishment of the program.

����� The bill is to take effect on the first day of the
sixth month next following the date of enactment.� The AOC may take
administrative action prior to the effective date as necessary for the
implementation of the program.

����� This bill is modeled on Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. 54-86n,
commonly referred to as �Desmond�s Law� and named after a dog which was abused
and strangled to death by its owner in 2012.