TN Pet Law News: Rabies Tax Info — Contact Legislators NOW!

You can find your own legislators by going to the Tennessee General Assembly web site and looking on the righthand side of the page: http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/ There’s a column with the heading “Find My Legislator.” Just type in your street address and city. It will bring up your local representative and state senator. You can contact them about anything that concerns you but they may not be on a particular committee that is considering a bill. However, they will be voting on each bill that makes it to the House or Senate floor so it’s always a good idea to drop them a line or try to speak to them.

To write to the committee members about the rabies tax bill, here’s a sample letter. The committee members are listed below with their phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

Both the House and Senate Finance, Ways & Means committees are hearing the rabies tax bills on 5/11. Please contact them and ask them to oppose this bill!

Rabies tax sample letter (formal letter)

Your name

address

phone number

e-mail address

date

State Senator Dear Senator Doe:

The Honorable John Doe

State Senator

(Nashville mailing address)

State Representative Dear Representative Doe:

The Honorable John Doe

State Representative

(Nashville mailing address)

Salutation: (Dear Senator ___ or Representative ___:)

I’m writing you because I’m concerned about (SB 3850 for the Senate or HB 3834 for the House). This is the rabies bill that you are considering in the Finance, Ways & Means Committee. This bill would add a minimum of $1 and possibly more to rabies vaccinations in the state. I would like to ask you to oppose this bill.

[Reasons why you oppose the bill. Reasons why the legislator should oppose.]

I agree with the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association that adding these fees to rabies vaccinations will reduce the number of people who vaccinate their pets against rabies.

In addition, many communities already add additional fees and licenses to vaccinated animals which makes it expensive to do the right thing and give your pet good veterinary care. These fees would only add to this burden.

As proposed with these fees, the pet owners who are vaccinating their pets would carry the entire cost of the state’s rabies program. This would place an unfair tax burden on responsible pet owners.

Finally, this is a public health and safety issue. If fewer people vaccinate their pets there will be a greater chance that someone in Tennessee will contract rabies.

Please oppose the rabies bill when it comes before your committee.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

name

clubs

positions held

Members of the Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee

Sen. Randy McNally, Chair - 615-741-6806,

sen.randy.mcnally@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. Douglas Henry, Vice-Chair - 615-741-3291,

sen.douglas.henry@capitol.tn.gov

Sen. Tim Burchett, Secretary - 615-741-1766,