Tennessee: Problematic Forfeiture Bills to be Heard Next Week (Friday, March 22, 2013)

Subject: AKC Legislative Alert: TN: Problematic Forfeiture Bills to be
Heard Next Week
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:05:58 +0000
From: Dog_Law <Dog_law@akc.org>
Reply-To: doglaw@akc.org

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Tennessee: Problematic Forfeiture Bills to be Heard Next Week
(Friday, March 22, 2013)
<http://www.akc.org/press_center/article.cfm?article_id=4918>

House Bill
462<http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/108/Bill/HB0462.pdf>/Senate Bill
581<http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/108/Bill/SB0581.pdf>, which would
make changes to animal seizure laws, will be considered on Tuesday,
March 26.

Under current law, seized animals may be placed with any governmental
animal control agency or humane society. The agency may petition the
court to order the accused to post an amount sufficient to secure
reasonable costs for care of the animal pending disposition of criminal
charges. If security is not posted within 15 days, the animal is
forfeited. The court may suspend the posting of security charges for an
indigent person.

HB462/SB581 would broaden the scope of who is allowed to take custody of
seized animals to include "any governmental animal control agency, law
enforcement agency, or their designee." It would also reduce the number
of days to post security from 15 to 10 days and delete the authority of
the court to suspend the posting of security of a person found indigent.

Both current law and HB462/SB581 could force owners to relinquish their
animals when they are accused of cruelty, regardless of whether the
charges are ultimately dismissed. Further, neither current law nor
HB462/SB581 provides for the return of posted security amounts if the
charges are dropped or the accused is found not guilty.

HB462 has passed the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
and the House Finance, Ways & Means Subcommittee. It will be heard by
the full House Finance Ways & Means Committee on March 26. SB581 will be
heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 26.

What You Can Do:

Attend the committee meetings or contact committee members to express
your concerns:

Regarding HB462:
House Finance, Ways & Means Committee Meeting
When: March 26, 2013, 3:00 p.m.
Where: Room 16, Legislative Plaza, 301 Sixth Avenue North, Nashville, TN
37243
Click here<http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/committees/finance.html> for
a list of committee members, and then click on each member's name for
contact information.

Regarding SB581:
Senate Judiciary Committee Meeting
When: March 26, 2013, 1:00 p.m.
Where: Room 12, Legislative Plaza, 301 Sixth Avenue North, Nashville, TN
37243
Click here<http://www.capitol.tn.gov/senate/committees/judiciary.html>
for a list of committee members, and then click on each member's name
for contact information.

For more information, contact AKC Government Relations at (919)
816-3720, or email doglaw@akc.org<mailto:doglaw@akc.org>.
++ This message is a service of the American Kennel Club's Government
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