An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sentencing, providing for animal abuse registry.

PRINTER'S NO. 1650
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1311
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY LAUGHLIN, MALONE, BARTOLOTTA, PICOZZI, CULVER,
J. WARD, VOGEL, PENNYCUICK, ROBINSON AND BOSCOLA,
APRIL 28, 2026
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, APRIL 28, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sentencing, providing
for animal abuse registry.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 9778. Animal abuse registry.
(a) Maintenance and posting.--Beginning January 1, 2027, the
Pennsylvania State Police shall maintain and post a registry on
a publicly accessible Internet website that includes individuals
convicted on or after the effective date of this subsection of
an animal abuse offense.
(b) Regulations.--The Pennsylvania State Police may issue
rules and promulgate regulations necessary to implement this
section.
(c) Identifying registry information.--
(1) The registry shall include a photograph taken of the
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individual convicted of an animal abuse offense as part of
the booking process, the individual's full legal name and
other identifying data as the Pennsylvania State Police
determines necessary to properly identify the individual and
to exclude innocent individuals.
(2) The registry shall not include the individual's
Social Security number, driver's license number or any other
Federal or State identification number.
(d) Judgment.--A clerk of court shall forward a copy of the
judgment and date of birth of an individual convicted of an
animal abuse offense to the Pennsylvania State Police within 60
calendar days of the date of the judgment.
(e) Conviction and expungement.--
(1) After an individual's first conviction of an animal
abuse offense, the Pennsylvania State Police shall maintain
the individual's name and other identifying information, as
described under subsection (c), on the registry for two years
following the date of conviction, after which time the
Pennsylvania State Police shall remove the individual's name
and identifying information from the registry if the
individual is not convicted of another animal abuse offense
during that two-year period.
(2) Except if ordered for longer under paragraph (3),
after an individual's subsequent conviction of an animal
abuse offense, the Pennsylvania State Police shall maintain
the individual's name and other identifying information, as
described under subsection (c), on the registry for five
years following the date of the most recent conviction, after
which time the Pennsylvania State Police shall remove the
individual's name and identifying information from the
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registry if the individual is not convicted of another animal
abuse offense during that five-year period.
(3) In a judge's discretion, based on the severity of
the animal abuse offense, the judge may order any of the
following:
(i) That the individual remain on the registry for
longer than five years.
(ii) A lifetime ban on the ownership of an animal.
(f) Expungement.--The Pennsylvania State Police shall remove
an individual's name and identifying information from the
registry if the offense for which the individual is included on
the registry is expunged.
(g) Mandatory registry verification prior to sale, transfer
or adoption.--
(1) Prior to the sale, transfer or adoption in this
Commonwealth of any live animal, the person selling or
offering an animal for transfer or adoption shall verify that
the prospective owner is not listed on the registry.
(2) If the prospective owner appears on the registry,
the person may not sell, transfer or allow for the adoption
of the animal to the individual appearing on the registry.
(3) Prior to the completion of a sale, transfer or
adoption of an animal, the person selling, transferring or
completing an adoption to a prospective owner and the
prospective owner shall sign a document attesting that the
registry was consulted.
(4) A person who sells, transfers or completes an
adoption to a prospective owner appearing on the registry, or
who fails to consult the registry before the sale, transfer
or adoption, commits a summary offense and, upon conviction,
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shall be sentenced as follows:
(i) For a first offense, a fine of not less than
$500 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.
(ii) For a second offense, a fine of not less than
$1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or
both.
(iii) For a third or subsequent offense, a permanent
revocation of a kennel license, dealer license or out-of-
State dealer license issued under the act of December 7,
1982 (P.L.784, No.225), known as the Dog Law, and a fine
of not less than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than
90 days, or both.
(5) For purposes of this subsection, the transfer or
adoption of an animal includes whether or not a fee is
charged for the transfer or adoption.
(h) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Animal abuse offense." An offense described under 18
Pa.C.S. § 5534 (relating to aggravated cruelty to animal).
"Conviction." A judgment entered by a court upon a plea of
guilty, a plea of nolo contendere or a finding of guilt by a
jury or the court, notwithstanding any pending appeal or habeas
corpus proceeding arising from the judgment.
"Registry." The registry maintained and posted by the
Pennsylvania State Police under subsection (a).
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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