Am. H.B. 415

127th General Assembly

(As Reported by H. Criminal Justice)

Reps. Blessing and Domenick, Wagoner, Hughes, Barrett, Szollosi, Ujvagi, Dyer, Foley, Peterson, Lundy, Distel, Yuko, Webster

BILL SUMMARY

· Increases the penalties for animal fighting, including cockfighting.

CONTENT AND OPERATION

Animal fighting and cockfighting

Continuing law, unchanged by the bill, provides that no person may knowingly engage in or be employed at cockfighting, bearbaiting, or pitting an animal against another; no person may receive money for the admission of another to a place kept for such purpose; and no person may use, train, or possess any animal for seizing, detaining, or maltreating a domestic animal. Continuing law, also unchanged by the bill, provides that any person who knowingly purchases a ticket of admission to such place, or is present thereat, or witnesses such spectacle, is an aider and abettor. (R.C. 959.15, not in the bill.)

Under current law, a violation of these prohibitions is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. The bill increases the penalty to a felony of the fourth degree on a first offense and a felony of the third degree for each subsequent offense. Additionally, the bill provides that if any equipment, devices, or other items involved in such an offense are confiscated, forfeited, and sold or if any cash is confiscated and forfeited, the proceeds from the sale and the cash that is confiscated and forfeited, if any, must be used to pay the costs incurred by the impounding animal shelter in caring for or euthanizing a rooster involved in the offense. The court must order any proceeds and any cash that remain after those costs are paid to be used for educational purposes designed to eliminate cockfighting. (R.C. 959.99(I).)

HISTORY

ACTION	DATE
Introduced	12-18-07
Reported, H. Criminal Justice	05-15-08

h04415-rh-127.doc/kl