UPCOMING PUBLIC HEARINGS & MEETINGS
Thursday, April 19, 2012
- 9:20 AM – Senate Executive Departments Committee, Room 100 State House. Public Hearing: HB 1362: Creates a one-time registration/licensing option for service animals. See DOGS concerns below.
Legislative Status Report
The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee is recommending (4-0 vote) an amendment to HB 325, relative to the transfer of dogs, cats and ferrets. The House passed version of the bill allows purchasers to accept a sick or injured animal if the transferee has knowledge of the sickness or injury, and requires that dogs, cats and ferrets being imported to the state for transfer be held for 48 hours at a licensed facility before being transferred in order to assess health status. The new Senate amendment only allows transfer of dogs, cats and ferrets that have noncontagious medical conditions. Still, the purchaser must sign a waiver and it must be sent to the State Veterinarian. Also, in addition to a licensed animal shelter, it allows the animal to be quarantined at a licensed veterinarian’s office. On Wednesday, the Senate will vote on the newly amended version of the bill.
DOGS supports the amendment that prohibits dogs, cats and ferrets with contagious diseases from being transferred. Furthermore, the addition of using a veterinarian’s facility for quarantine provides an owners with an alternative to an animal shelter. A copy of the amendment is available at http://www.gencourt.state.nh.
HB 1362: As passed by the House, retains the current exemption from licensing and registration fees for service dogs and retired armed services dogs. The bill creates a one-time registration/licensing option for service dogs that have been certified as such and properly tagged by the governor’s commission on disability. Requires the Governor’s Commission on Disability to issue and administer service animal permanent registration tags.
DOGS Position and Concerns: DOGS supports the exemption from licensing fees for service animals (currently, in statute). DOGS has concerns regarding the new procedure, such as:
- The Commission does not have the authority to revoke registration if the service dog’s rabies vaccination is not current after the dog is permanently registered.
- A municipality will have no way to identify or verify current rabies vaccination for a permanently registered service dog that is running at large.
DOGS had discussions with the State Veterinarian and the Town Clerks Association. Both agree that the municipality must receive verification of current rabies vaccination.
STATUS: Passed the House with amendment (14-0 committee vote). Public Hearing in Senate Executive Depts. Committee scheduled for 9:20am on April 19th. A copy of the amended bill can be found on-line at http://www.gencourt.state.nh.
ACTION NEEDED: You are encouraged to drop a note to the Senators on the committee asking them to amend the bill to ensure that service dogs that are permanently registered have up-to-date proof of rabies vaccination on file with the municipality.
| Mailing List for Senate Executive Departments & Administration Committee |
Senator Sharon Carson, Chairman
Statehouse, Room 107
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-1403
Email: Sharon.carson@leg.state.nh.us
Senator Fenton Groen, Vice Chairman
Statehouse, Room 107
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-2609
Email: fenton.groen@leg.state.nh.us
Senator Sylvia Larsen
Statehouse, Room 120
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 217-3207
Email: sylvia.larsen@leg.state.nh.us
Senator Jim Luther
Statehouse, Room 105-A
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-4151
Email: jim.luther@leg.state.nh.us
Senator Raymond White
Statehouse, Room 107
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-2609
Email: raymond.white@leg.state.nh.us
HB 1336: Regarding nonresidents use of bear hunting dogs. Nonresidents from states or Canada which allow the training or taking of bear with dogs, and who do not limit or prohibit NH residents from training or hunting bear with NH dogs, shall be the only nonresidents allowed to bring dogs into New Hampshire to train or take bear.
DOGS Position: Based on feedback from our “hunting/sporting” members, the amended version of the bill passed by the House, corrects an existing flaw in the reciprocity statute.
STATUS: Passed the House with amendment. The Senate passed the bill as amended by the House. A copy of the amended bill can be obtained at: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.
SB 370: Amended in the Senate to remove the original wording and replace it with wording that clarifies the current powers of law enforcement. The bill as amended in the Senate is intended only to make clear that local law enforcement has the jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute suspected violations pertaining to the domestic animal abuse statutes.
DOGS Position: Opposed to the original bill. Supporting the Senate amended bill to provide for clarification of local law enforcement jurisdiction to investigate complaints of animal abuse.
STATUS: Awaiting recommendation of the House Environment & Agriculture Committee. A copy of the bill as amended by the Senate can be obtained at http://www.gencourt.state.nh.
