S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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6158--A
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 26, 2009
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, KELLNER -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Agriculture -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law and the administrative
code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a New York
city animal population control program and an animal population
control fund; and to amend chapter 115 of the laws of 1894 relating to
the better protection of lost and strayed animals and for securing the
rights of owners thereof, in relation to licensing fees
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 107 of the agriculture and markets
law, as amended by chapter 473 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read
as follows:
1. This article shall apply to all areas of the state except any city
having a population of over two million [except that the provisions in
this article relating to the animal population control program shall be
applicable to the entire state].
S 2. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by
adding a new section 17-811 to read as follows:
S 17-811 ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND MENTAL HYGIENE SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO ESTABLISH
AND IMPLEMENT AN ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL PROGRAM WITHIN ONE HUNDRED
TWENTY DAYS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION. THE PURPOSE OF THIS
PROGRAM SHALL BE TO REDUCE THE POPULATION OF UNWANTED STRAY DOGS AND
CATS THEREBY REDUCING POTENTIAL THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AND
REDUCING THE COSTS OF CARING FOR THESE ANIMALS. THIS PROGRAM SHALL SEEK
TO ACCOMPLISH ITS PURPOSE BY ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF NEW
YORK WHO ARE THE OWNERS OF DOGS AND CATS TO HAVE THEM SPAYED OR NEUTERED
BY PROVIDING NO OR LOW-COST SPAYING AND NEUTERING SERVICES TO SUCH
OWNERS. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07076-06-9
A. 6158--A 2
TO ESTABLISH AN ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL PROGRAM INCLUDING, BUT NOT
LIMITED, TO CREATING CLINICS OR MOBILE UNITS WHERE SUCH SERVICES SHALL
BE PERFORMED AND ESTABLISHING CRITERIA FOR PET OWNER ELIGIBILITY TO USE
SUCH SERVICES. INDICIA OF ELIGIBILITY FOR PET OWNERS SEEKING NO OR
LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO
ANY CRITERIA DEEMED ACCEPTABLE BY THE AGENCIES PERFORMING THE SERVICES.
THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE MAY
SOLICIT AND ACCEPT FUNDS FROM THE ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL FUND ESTAB-
LISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 17-812 OF THIS CHAPTER AND ANY OTHER PUBLIC
OR PRIVATE SOURCE TO HELP CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
S 3. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by
adding a new section 17-812 to read as follows:
S 17-812 ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL FUND. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
LISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE CITY COMPTROLLER AND COMMISSIONER OF
FINANCE A FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE "ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL FUND" WHICH
SHALL BE USED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO SUBSIDIZE THE CITY'S ANIMAL POPU-
LATION CONTROL PROGRAM AS ESTABLISHED BY SECTION 17-811 OF THIS CHAPTER.
2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONEYS COLLECTED FROM THE ANIMAL
POPULATION CONTROL PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 17-811 OF
THIS CHAPTER AND SECTION THREE-A OF CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN OF THE
LAWS OF EIGHTEEN HUNDRED NINETY-FOUR, AND ALL OTHER MONEYS CREDITED OR
TRANSFERRED THERETO FROM ANY OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.
3. MONEYS OF THE FUND SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE DEPARTMENT AND
SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR THE PURPOSES OF CARRYING OUT ANIMAL POPULATION
CONTROL PROGRAMS PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 17-811 OF THIS
CHAPTER. MONEYS SHALL BE PAID OUT OF THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT
OF THE CITY COMPTROLLER AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPART-
MENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE. ANY INTEREST RECEIVED BY THE CITY
COMPTROLLER ON MONEYS ON DEPOSIT IN THE ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL FUND
SHALL BE RETAINED IN AND BECOME PART OF SUCH FUND.
S 4. Section 3-a of chapter 115 of the laws of 1894 relating to the
better protection of lost and strayed animals and for securing the
rights of owners thereof, as amended by chapter 180 of the laws of 2002,
is amended to read as follows:
S 3-a. In addition to the fee charged pursuant to sections one and two
of this chapter, any person applying for a dog license shall pay a fee
of three dollars, OR SUCH GREATER AMOUNT AS DETERMINED BY THE CITY COUN-
CIL OR THE BOARD OF HEALTH IN THE CODE OF SUCH CITY, for any dog four
months of age or older which has not been spayed or neutered unless an
owner presents with the license application a statement certified by a
licensed veterinarian stating that he or she has examined the dog and
found that because of old age or other reasons, the life of the dog
would be endangered by spaying or neutering. All fees collected pursuant
to the provisions of this section shall be forwarded to the [state] CITY
comptroller for deposit in the animal population control fund created
pursuant to section [97-xx of the state finance law and section 117-a of
the agriculture and markets law] 17-812 OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF
THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
S 5. Any unspent moneys collected in prior fiscal years attributable
to dog licensing fees in cities having a population of two million or
more and collected and deposited in the New York state animal population
control fund pursuant to section 97-xx of the state finance law shall be
transferred to and retained in the animal population control fund
created pursuant to section 17-812 of the administrative code of the
city of New York.
S 6. This act shall take effect immediately.