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New York State Assembly

Speaker Carl E. Heastie
 
     
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A06239 Summary:

BILL NOA06239
 
SAME ASNo Same As
 
SPONSORWeprin
 
COSPNSRButtenschon
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Add §377-b, Ag & Mkts L
 
Requires the department of transportation to attempt to identify and notify the owners of deceased domesticated animals recovered on public roads.
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A06239 Actions:

BILL NOA06239
 
04/03/2023referred to agriculture
01/03/2024referred to agriculture
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A06239 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
 submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)




 
BILL NUMBER: A6239
 
SPONSOR: Weprin

 
TITLE OF BILL:
 
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the
recovery of deceased domesticated animals on public roads
 
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
 
The purpose of the bill is to require a highway department that recovers
the body of an animal killed on public roads to make all reasonable
efforts to notify the family of the death and where possible to store
the animal's remains for 48 hours after notification to family.
 
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a
new section 377-b regarding the recovery of deceased domesticated
animals on public roads. Any official of the New York State department
of transportation that recovers a body of a domesticated animal killed
on a public road shall make every reasonable effort to detect the owner-
ship of the animal and then provide notification to the owner concerning
the animal's death. If no indicia of ownership is available the depart-
ment shall post a description of the animal and place of death on a
publicly available website. If feasible the department shall safely
store the animal's body for 48 hours after notification during which
time the owner may recover the animal's remains to dispose of in a
manner of their choosing.
 
Section 2 of the bill sets forth an immediate effective date.
 
 
JUSTIFICATION:
 
Annually thousands of pets are killed in traffic in New York State.
Their bodies maybe disposed of at landfills by highway departments with-
out any notice to the families regardless of whether the pet has an
identifying chip or collar.
 
This bill will require the New York State department of transportation
to make every reasonable effort to detect the ownership of the animal
and then provide notification to the owner concerning the animal's
death. The bill will also require the department to store the animal's
remains, if possible, for 48 hours after notification-so that the family
may recover the remains and dispose of them in a manner of their choos-
ing.
 
This law will create an opportunity to bring closure to the grief and
agony felt by many families whose companion animal is "simply missing"
one day and who suffer this loss not know what happened to their beloved
family member.
 
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
 
02/08/17 referred to agriculture
 
01/03/18 referred to agriculture
 
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect immediately.
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