Animal welfare task force.

WORKING DRAFT
2007
STATE OF
WYOMING
07LSO-0610

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0261

Animal welfare task force.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Berger, Samuelson and Zwonitzer, Dn. and Senator(s) Geis

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to animals; establishing a task force to study animal abuse and animal welfare in Wyoming; providing for membership; providing study requirements; requiring a report; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.

(a)

There is created a legislative-executive task force on animal welfare. The task force shall study issues of animal cruelty, neglect and abuse and develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that the proper care of animals is occurring, and will continue to occur, in
Wyoming
.

(b)

The task force shall consist of eleven (11) members appointed by April 1, 2007, as follows:

(i)

One (1) person designated to represent the governor's office;

(ii)

One (1) member of the
Wyoming
senate, appointed by the president of the senate, who shall be cochairman of the task force;

(iii)

One (1) member of the Wyoming house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house, who shall be cochairman of the task force;

(iv)

The state veterinarian or his designee;

(v)

The following, selected jointly by the cochairmen of the task force
:

(A)

One (1) member certified as a peace officer employed by the
Wyoming
livestock board;

(B)

One (1) member representing the
Wyoming
association of sheriffs and chiefs of police;

(C)

One (1) member representing the
Wyoming
association of animal control officers;

(D)

One (1) member representing the
Wyoming
veterinary medicine association;

(E)

One (1) member representing the
Wyoming
department of agriculture;

(F)

One (1) member representing the animal agriculture industry; and

(G)

One (1) member representing the general populace of
Wyoming
with an interest in animal welfare.

(c)

The task force shall:

(i)

Meet no less than four (4) times to solicit input and comments from the citizens of
Wyoming
;

(ii)

Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the current animal cruelty and welfare laws in
Wyoming
;

(iii)

Conduct a comprehensive analysis of animal cruelty, neglect and abuse in the pet and animal companion industry in
Wyoming
;

(iv)

Recommend uniform standards of training and certification for the detection, investigation and response to animal cruelty, neglect and abuse;

(v)

Evaluate the potential threat to human health resulting from the illegal importation of animals;

(vi)

If necessary to achieve the purposes of this act, recommend changes to the current statutes to ensure minimum standards for the humane care and treatment of animals;

(vii)

Report its findings and recommendations and, if necessary to achieve the purposes of this act, submit draft legislation for consideration to the joint agriculture, public lands and water resources interim committee.

(d)

The task force shall be staffed by the governor's office. The task force may contract for administrative and research services to aid in preparation of the task force report. The governor's office shall convene the task force no later than May 1, 2007.

(e)

The task force shall exist until December 31, 2007. Members of the task force who are not legislators shall not receive a salary but shall receive reimbursement for necessary travel and per diem expenses in the manner and amount provided for state employees under W.S. 9
‑
3
‑
102 and 9
‑
3
‑
103. Members of the task force who are legislators shall be paid salary, per diem and travel expenses as provided in W.S. 28
‑
5
‑
101 for their official duties as members of the task force.

Section 2.

For purposes of this act for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2008, t
here is appropriated fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00)
from the general fund
. Of this amount, ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) is appropriated to the legislative service office to fund the salaries, per diem and travel expenses of the state legislative members of the task force pursuant to section 1 of this act. The remainder is appropriated to the governor's office to fund the meetings and activities of the task force and to contract with appropriate professionals as necessary to complete the duties assigned to the task force in section 1 of this act.

Section 3
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

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HB0261