Neglected and abandoned animals-grant program.

WORKING DRAFT
2013
STATE OF
WYOMING
13LSO-0399

HOUSE BILL
NO.

HB0207

Neglected and abandoned animal
s
-
grant program.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Krone and Senator(s) Coe

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to
animals
; creating the neglected and abandoned animal
s
grant program; providing f
or
administration
of the grant program by the department of agriculture; providing for eligibility; providing for an application process; providing criteria for awarding a grant under the program;
providing rulemaking authority;
creating an account; providing
appropriation
s
;
and providing for an effective date.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 11
‑
31
‑
401 through 11
‑
31
‑
40
5

are
created to read:

ARTICLE 4
NEGLECTED AND ABANDONED ANIMAL
S
GRANT PROGRAM

11
‑
31
‑
401.

Neglected and abandoned animal
s
grant program; administration.

There is created the neglected and abandoned animal
s
grant program
to assist
communities
in providing care for neglected or abandoned cats and dogs
.
Grants under the program shall be awarded by
the neglected and abandoned animal
s
board created pursuant to W.S. 11
‑
31
‑
40
2
. The program shall be
administered
by the department.

11
‑
31
‑
402.

Wyoming neglected and abandoned animal board; creation; members.

(a)

There is created the Wyoming neglected and abandoned
animals
board. The board shall consist of five (5) members, as follows:

(
i
)

The director of the department or his designee; and

(
ii
)

Four (4) persons appointed by the governor
, including
:

(A)

Two (2) licensed
veterinarians
; and

(B)

Two (2)
citizen
s from the public at large.

(
b
)

Except for the director of the department of agriculture who shall serve
continuously
, m
embers of the board shall serve terms of three (3) years. The initial board shall have staggered terms of one (1) member for one (1) year, two (2) members for two (2) years and
one (1)

member
for three (3) years
, as determined by the governor
.

(c)

Board
members shall be reimbursed for per diem, mileage and expenses for attending meetings in the same manner and amount as state employees.

11
‑
31
‑
403.

Duties and powers of the board
; duties of the department; rulemaking authority
.

(a)

In awarding grants under the program, the board shall:

(
i
)

Determine the best allocation of grant funds based on the applications submitted and the funds available;

(
ii)

Determine whether to award a grant to
an
applicant based on:

(A)

The ability of the applicant to use the

requested
funds to
care for
neglected
and abandoned
dogs
and

cats
;

(B)

Whether the community applying for the grant is currently served by an animal control entity;

(C)

The unmet need in the community for the care of
neglected
and abandoned
dogs and cats.

(b
)

The board may a
ccept federal grants and other contributions, grants, gifts, transfers, bequests and donations.
The board, through the department, may apply for any available grants for the care of neglected
and abandoned
animals.

(
c
)

In
administering
the program the department shall:

(
i
)

I
n consultation with the board,
p
romulgate reasonable rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this act including rules relating to:

(
A
)

Grant application procedures;

(
B
)

Grant eligibility;
and

(C)

Criteria for evaluation
, ranking and prioritization of
grant applications;

(D)

Appropriate expenditure of grant funds
for
the care of neglected
and abandoned
animals, including:

(I)

Providing shelter and food;

(II)

Providing medical care for neglected
and abandoned
animals, including spaying or neutering and euthanasia when appropriate;

(III)

Animal adoption programs;

(IV)

Appropriate administrative costs.

11
‑
31
‑
40
4
.

Grant
eligibility; distribution of funds
.

(a)

To qualify for a grant under this act, an applicant shall:

(
i
)

Be
a board of county commissioners or the governing body of a municipality;

(ii)

Have an
unmet or
unfunded need to care for neglected
or abandoned
animals within the
boundaries of the
political subdivision over which the applicant has authority
;

(ii
i
)

Submit a grant application
pursuant to rules promulgated under this article.

(b)

Grant funds shall only be distributed to an entity under the complete control of the state of Wyoming or a nonprofit entity
who
provides care for neglected
and abandoned
animals in the political subdivision of the applicant.

11
‑
31
‑
4
05.

Neglected and abandoned animal
s
account;
disbursements
from the account.

There is created the neglected and abandoned animal
s
account. The account shall consist of those funds
appropriated to the account by the legislature
and all monies received from federal grants and other contributions, grants, gifts, transfers, bequests and donations to the trust account. The account is specifically empowered to accept grants, gifts, transfers, bequests and donations
.
Funds shall only be withdrawn from the account for grants authorized by the neglected and abandoned
animals
board as provided in this article.

Section 2
.

(a)

There is appropriated one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00)

from the general
fund to the
neglected and abandoned animal
s
account created by this act
. This appropriation shall only
be expended
to provide grants pursuant to
this act.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any unexpended funds appropriated under this section shall not revert until further act of the legislature to revert the funds.

(b)

There is appropriated seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.00) from the general fund to the department of agriculture
to fulfill the purposes of this act. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as p
rovided by law on June 30, 2014
.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2013.

(END)

1
HB0207