Senate Bill 150 (2025) — Animal cruelty during a declared state of emergency
SB 150
Florida Bills
Florida Senate - 2025 SB By Senator Gaetz 1-00702-25 2025150__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. A bill to be entitled
An act relating to animal cruelty during a declared state of emergency; amending s. 828.12, F.S.; 3 providing increased criminal penalties for animal cruelty offenses committed during a declared state of emergency; providing an effective date. 6
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 8
Section 1. Subsection (1) of
section 828.12, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 11 828.12 Cruelty to animals.— 12 (1)(
a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a person who unnecessarily overloads, overdrives, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter, or unnecessarily mutilates, or kills any animal, or causes the same to be done, or carries in or upon any vehicle, or otherwise, any animal in a cruel or inhumane manner, commits animal cruelty, a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000, or both. 20
(
b) A person who commits a violation of paragraph
(a) 21 during a state of emergency declared pursuant to s. 252.36 in an area included in the state of emergency commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, 24 or s. 775.084. 25