03/09/2013
Please check this out and voice your concern!
“Muuummaa mmuum! Mmum muumuuaa mmuum! MMUUM!”
— Quote from animal abuse witness after SB13 & 14 becomes law.
Under the SB13 & SB14 laws, ANY animal welfare organizations OR private citizens alerting law enforcement to animal abuse can be charged with a crime and penalized!
ARKANSANS, STOP ANIMAL CRUELTY!
Please, contact and tell your Arkansas state representative to say "NO!" to bills SB13 & SB14 (some ways to make your voice heard listed below).
PLEASE SHARE
Sign an online petition that's listed with change.org, asking to "Tell AR Senate Judiciary Committee to DROP SB13 & SB14: Repeal Sponsored Bills SB13 & SB14".
Here's the link...
https://www.change.org/petitions/tell-ar-senate-judiciary-committee-to-drop-sb13-sb14-repeal-sponsored-bills-sb13-sb14?utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition
In 2009 the Arkansas Legislature created a law (Act 33) that made the offense of aggravated cruelty (also known as torture) to a cat, dog, or horse a Class D felony. A court could order any person found guilty to receive a psychiatric or psychological evaluation and counseling or treatment. Another law passed provided for immunity to any person who in good faith reports an incident of cruelty to animals to local law enforcement. Additionally, veterinarians are immune from both civil and criminal liability for any part in a cruelty investigation provided he or she is not acting with bad faith or malice. This legislation in conjunction with previous laws against abandonment, organized fighting, unsafe transport, etc. created much needed protections for Arkansas pets and livestock.
NOW, all of that is threatened by legislation that is being considered by the Arkansas General Assembly...
SB13: "AN ACT PROVIDING LEGAL PROTECTION TO ANIMAL OWNERS AND THEIR ANIMALS; TO ENSURE THAT ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES INVESTIGATE CHARGES OF ANIMAL CRUELTY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Overview: This bill will criminalize and assess civil and practicable penalties against any animal welfare organization or private persons seeking to alert law enforcement to animal abuse. It will make the investigation of any case of suspected abuse by law enforcement impossible while holding law enforcement agencies financially and physically responsible for the care of animals in custody, a burden currently often covered through non-profit organizations and facilities.
While masked as a "probable cause" explanation, this bill seeks to prevent the prosecution of any and all animal cruelty related cases by demanding more stringent requirements and assessing more potential liability to anyone seeking to stop or intervene in animal abuse. Our current cruelty statute, while ostensibly allowing the assessment of a felony charge, has already made the prosecution of such cases rare and unusual. This law's requirements far exceeds the requirements established to protect parental rights in regard to their children.
On SB14 "AN ACT OF CREATING THE OFFENSE OF INTERFERENCE WITH A LIVESTOCK OR POULTRY OPERATION; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Overview: A whistleblower suppression law, this bill would criminalize the use of undercover investigative techniques often employed to expose both animal abuse and unhealthy practices associated with even the most basic protections of our food supply. The definitions contained in this bill would also exempt companion animals bred for commercial purposes such as puppy mills from the protection of such investigations.
To view the bill SB13 in its entirety cut and paste this link in your browser...
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sb13
To view the bill SB14 in its entirety cut and paste this link in your browser...
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=SB14
Thanks to Arkansans for Animals, Inc. for a lot of the info above. Here's a link to their page...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arkansans-for-Animals-Inc/130950890279758
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Here's what YOU can do...
1.) Further familiarize yourself with the bills in question with the links above. Make a note(s) of what stick in your mind as especially heinous about this legislation.
2.) As mentioned earlier, sign an online petition that's listed with change.org, asking to "Tell AR Senate Judiciary Committee to DROP SB13 & SB14: Repeal Sponsored Bills SB13 & SB14". Here's the link...
https://www.change.org/petitions/tell-ar-senate-judiciary-committee-to-drop-sb13-sb14-repeal-sponsored-bills-sb13-sb14?utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition
3.) Contact your representative(s) and let them know what you think about SB13 & SB14. Remember to be as civil as possible.
To find your representative(s) use this link to a map search. Type in your full address in the search bar...
http://www.geostor.arkansas.gov/G6/Viewer.html
After the search, included in the results will be linked names of your representatives in the House and the Senate. Click on the link and it will take you to the representative's Arkansas State Legislature personal web page that will have his contact information, including an email address. You can click on that link and send him an email letting him know what you think of SB13 & SB14.
Here's a copy of a letter you can use if you'd like...
Subject: Concerning Bills SB13 & SB14
Text: As my (representative or senator) in the Arkansas 89th General Assembly, if given the opportunity, please voice my opposition to the proposed bills SB13 & SB14. I've reviewed the bills and I feel as though they are counter to the current animal rights laws in effect and will allow individuals who would harm and abuse pets, livestock, and other Arkansas animals to do so virtually unimpeded. I appreciate your service to me and the people of Arkansas. Thank you.
There is also a high probability that your representative(s) have an online social media page such as Facebook. Do a search for them using their title, such as "Senator John Smith". Be sure that you've got the correct person before you post a message to their page or send them a Facebook message.
4.) Contact the state legislator that is currently the lead sponsor on the bills, Senator Gary Stubblefield. Here' a link to his General Assembly page...
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=G.%20Stubblefield
Here's his email address...
[email protected]
Here's his page. You do not have to "like" his page to post a message...
https://www.facebook.com/GaryStubblefieldForStateSenate
Here is Senator Stubblefield's listed phone number: 479-635-4314
Here's a copy of a letter you can send to Se. Stubblefield if you'd like...
Subject: Concerning Bills SB13 & SB14
Text: I would like to voice my opposition to the proposed bills SB13 & SB14. I've reviewed the bills and I feel as though they are counter to the current animal rights laws in effect and will allow individuals who would harm and abuse pets, livestock, and other Arkansas animals to do so virtually unimpeded. I do appreciate your service to the people of Arkansas, however, I respectfully ask that you discontinue your sponsorship of these bills. Thank you.
5.) Check the status of these bills as they navigate through the General Assembly. SB13...
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=SB13
..and SB14...
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=SB14
6.) Pray, cross your fingers and toes, hope that sanity prevails and Arkansas law makers do what's right for our Arkansas dogs, cats, horses, and other pets and livestock and what will preserve the best part of humanity... our compassion.
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* As mentioned before, the bills are currently (as of 02.26.13) are up for review by the Senate Judiciary Committee. If you're feeling especially frisky, you can contact the members of Arkansas The Senate Judiciary directly with these email addresses:
Jeremy Hutchinson, Chair: Benton
[email protected]
Robert Thompson, Vice-chair: Paragould
[email protected]
Eddie Joe Williams, Cabot
[email protected]
Jane English, NLR
[email protected]
Keith Ingram, West Memphis
[email protected]
Gary Stubblefield Branch, AR
[email protected]
Jon Woods, Springdale
[email protected]
Bryan King, Green Forest
[email protected]
THANK YOU, GOOD LUCK AND HEAVEN HELP US.
