S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                 346--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. PERRY
  -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture -- recommit-
  ted  to  the Committee on Agriculture in accordance with Assembly Rule
  3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted  as
  amended and recommitted to said committee

AN  ACT  to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
  lishing a task force to study how to improve investigations of  animal
  abuse and enforcement of anti-animal abuse laws; and providing for the
  repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a  new
section 380 to read as follows:
  S  380.    TASK FORCE ON HOW TO IMPROVE INVESTIGATIONS OF ANIMAL ABUSE
AND ENFORCEMENT OF ANTI-ANIMAL ABUSE LAWS. 1. THE TASK FORCE ON  HOW  TO
IMPROVE  INVESTIGATIONS  OF  ANIMAL ABUSE AND ENFORCEMENT OF ANTI-ANIMAL
ABUSE LAWS IS HEREBY CREATED TO EXAMINE, EVALUATE AND DETERMINE  HOW  TO
IMPROVE  INVESTIGATIONS OF ANIMAL ABUSE AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF ANTI-ANI-
MAL ABUSE LAWS.
  2.(A) SUCH TASK FORCE SHALL CONSIST OF NINE MEMBERS, EACH TO SERVE FOR
A TERM OF ONE CALENDAR  YEAR.    SUCH  MEMBERS  SHALL  BE  APPOINTED  AS
FOLLOWS:  ONE SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR; ONE SHALL BE APPOINTED
BY THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; ONE SHALL BE APPOINTED BY  THE
MINORITY  LEADER OF THE SENATE; ONE SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF
THE ASSEMBLY; ONE SHALL BE APPOINTED  BY  THE  MINORITY  LEADER  OF  THE
ASSEMBLY;  ONE  SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION; ONE SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSION-
ER OF HEALTH AND THE REMAINING TWO MEMBERS SHALL   BE APPOINTED  BY  THE
COMMISSIONER. APPOINTMENTS SHALL BE MADE WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE EFFEC-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04024-04-6
              

A. 346--A                           2

TIVE  DATE  OF THIS SECTION. VACANCIES IN THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE FILLED
IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS.
  (B)  ALL  APPOINTEES  SHALL  HAVE  EXPERTISE  IN FIELDS OR DISCIPLINES
RELATED TO ANIMALS, ANIMAL ABUSE AND/OR INVESTIGATIONS. ALL APPOINTMENTS
SHALL BE COORDINATED TO  ENSURE  GEOGRAPHIC  REPRESENTATION  FROM    THE
ENTIRE STATE.
  (C)  THE  TASK  FORCE  SHALL  BE  CHAIRED BY ONE OF THE COMMISSIONER'S
APPOINTEES. THE TASK FORCE SHALL ELECT A VICE-CHAIR AND OTHER  NECESSARY
OFFICERS FROM AMONG ALL APPOINTED MEMBERS.
  (D)  A  MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE THEN IN OFFICE SHALL
CONSTITUTE A QUORUM FOR THE TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS OR THE  EXERCISE  OF
ANY  POWER OR FUNCTION OF THE TASK FORCE. AN ACT, DETERMINATION OR DECI-
SION OF THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT DURING  THE  PRESENCE  OF  A
QUORUM  SHALL  BE  HELD TO BE THE ACT, DETERMINATION, OR DECISION OF THE
TASK FORCE.
  (E) THE TASK FORCE SHALL MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY AT THE  CALL  OF  THE
CHAIR.  MEETINGS MAY BE HELD VIA TELECONFERENCE. SPECIAL MEETINGS MAY BE
CALLED BY THE CHAIR AT THE REQUEST OF A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS  OF  THE
TASK FORCE.
  (F)  MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR
SERVICES BUT SHALL BE REIMBURSED FOR THEIR ACTUAL EXPENSES  INCURRED  IN
THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES IN THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE.
  3. THE TASK FORCE ESTABLISHED SHALL:
  (A) STUDY CURRENT ANIMAL ABUSE INVESTIGATION AND ANTI-ANIMAL ABUSE LAW
ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES; AND
  (B)  RECOMMEND  ANIMAL  ABUSE  INVESTIGATION AND ANTI-ANIMAL ABUSE LAW
ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES TO INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS ACROSS THE STATE.
  4. THE TASK FORCE MAY ESTABLISH SUCH ADVISORY COMMITTEES AS  IT  DEEMS
APPROPRIATE  ON  MATTERS  RELATING TO THE TASK FORCE'S FUNCTIONS, POWERS
AND DUTIES. SUCH COMMITTEES SHALL BE CHAIRED BY A TASK FORCE MEMBER, BUT
MAY BE COMPOSED OF TASK FORCE  MEMBERS  AS  WELL  AS  OTHER  INDIVIDUALS
SELECTED  BY THE TASK FORCE TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE OF INTEREST SPECIFIC TO
THE CHARGE OF SUCH COMMITTEE.
  5. THE TASK FORCE MAY, AS IT DEEMS APPROPRIATE, REQUEST THAT  STUDIES,
SURVEYS,  OR  ANALYSES RELATING TO THE TASK FORCE'S POWERS AND DUTIES BE
PERFORMED BY ANY STATE DEPARTMENT, COMMISSION, AGENCY OR PUBLIC AUTHORI-
TY. ALL STATE DEPARTMENTS, COMMISSIONS, AGENCIES OR  PUBLIC  AUTHORITIES
SHALL  PROVIDE  INFORMATION  AND ADVICE IN A TIMELY MANNER AND OTHERWISE
ASSIST THE TASK FORCE WITH ITS WORK.
  6. THE TASK FORCE SHALL SUBMIT A  REQUEST  FOR  ANY  APPROPRIATION  AS
SHALL BE NECESSARY TO ENABLE THE TASK FORCE TO PERFORM ITS FUNCTIONS AND
DUTIES  TO  THE  GOVERNOR,  DIRECTOR  OF THE DIVISION OF THE BUDGET, AND
CHAIRPERSONS OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE ASSEMBLY  WAYS  AND
MEANS COMMITTEE. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE STAFF SERVICES TO THE TASK
FORCE  AND  SUCH OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR
THE TASK FORCE TO CARRY OUT ITS DUTIES, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS.
  7. THE TASK FORCE MAY HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS, TAKE  TESTIMONY  AND  MAKE
INVESTIGATIONS AT SUCH PLACES AS IT DEEMS NECESSARY.
  8.  THE TASK FORCE SHALL MAKE A PRELIMINARY REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND
THE LEGISLATURE OF ITS FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIV-
ITIES ALREADY UNDERTAKEN BY THE TASK FORCE,  NOT  LATER  THAN  ONE  YEAR
AFTER  THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS SECTION, AND A FINAL REPORT OF ITS
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIVITIES ALREADY UNDERTAKEN
BY THE TASK FORCE, NOT LATER THAN TWO YEARS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE  OF
THIS  SECTION AND SHALL SUBMIT WITH ITS REPORTS LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS AS
IT DEEMS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS.

A. 346--A                           3

  S 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
have  become  a  law  and shall expire twenty-four months after it shall
have become a law when upon such date the provisions of this  act  shall
be deemed repealed.