CHAPTER 156

HB 529-FN - FINAL VERSION

2021 SESSION

21-0591

04/10

HOUSE BILL 529-FN

AN ACT relative to cruelty to a wild animal, fish, or wild bird.

SPONSORS: Rep. Read, Rock. 17; Rep. Toll, Ches. 16; Rep. Gay, Rock. 8; Rep. Danielson, Hills. 7; Rep. Spillane, Rock. 2; Rep. Abrami, Rock. 19; Rep. DeSimone, Rock. 14; Rep. Wall, Straf. 6; Rep. K. Murray, Rock. 24; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3

COMMITTEE: Fish and Game and Marine Resources

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ANALYSIS

This bill establishes an enhanced criminal penalty for cruelty to any wild animal, fish, or wild bird.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

21-0591

04/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One

AN ACT relative to cruelty to a wild animal, fish, or wild bird.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

156:1  New Section; Fish and Game Commission; Cruelty to Wild Animals, Fish, or Wild Birds.  Amend RSA 206 by inserting after section 19-a the following new section:

206:19-b  Cruelty to Wild Animals, Fish, or Wild Birds; Enhanced Penalty.

I.(a)  Any person who purposely beats, cruelly whips, tortures or mutilates any wild animal, fish or wild bird as defined in RSA 207:1, or purposely causes any wild animal, fish, or wild bird to be beaten, cruelly whipped, tortured or mutilated shall be guilty of a class B felony.

(b)  Any person who negligently beats, cruelly whips, tortures or mutilates any wild animal, fish or wild bird as defined in RSA 207:1, or negligently causes any wild animal, fish or wild bird to be beaten, cruelly whipped, tortured or mutilated shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

II.  It shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution and an actor shall be exempt from enhanced penalties under this section for any manner of taking, open season time limits, permitted scientific investigations or wildlife management practices lawful under title XVIII or administrative rules adopted pursuant to RSA 541-A, whether or not the actor holds a current and valid license issued by the department.

156:2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2022.

Approved: July 28, 2021

Effective Date: January 01, 2022