Senate Bill S234

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S234

SPONSOR: TEDISCO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to implementing a
dangerous dog owner alert system

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would instruct municipalities to alert constituents via the
web, email or social media when an owner of a dangerous dog has been
convicted while protecting such individual's privacy by merely noting
the block in which the violator lives and not any identifying details
such as names, addresses or phone numbers.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

1. § 2. Subdivision 6 of section 209-cc of the general municipal law is
renumbered subdivision 7 and a new subdivision 6 is added to read as
follows:
              

6.(a) The clerk of each city, town or village shall provide necessary
data to the clerk of the county where such city, town or village is
located and such county shall maintain a web page listing the block of
all residences where such dogs are kept within such municipality.  Such
web page shall provide, for each block listed, a link to a mapping
service site that utilizes global positioning system technology to
provide street maps and satellite imagery of such blocks. The county
clerk shall post on such web page notifications of the block where the
owner resides with a conviction for an offense involving a dangerous
dog. Posting such notification on the web page shall not preclude a
city, town of village from using any other specific information such as
a resident's name, address, dog's name or any other additional means of
notifying local residents of such convictions,

(b) Upon the death of a dangerous dog, the owner of such dangerous dog
shall notify the clerk of the municipality in which he resides. The
clerk, in turn, shall forward such notification to the county clerk of
the county where such municipality is located.

(c) Upon a change of residence, the owner of a dangerous dog shall noti-
fy the clerk in the municipality which he is moving from and shall noti-
fy the clerk of the municipality in which he shall reside that he is the
owner of a dangerous dog and shall provide his address. The clerks, in
turn, shall forward such notification to the county clerk of the county
where such municipalities are located.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

On June 30, 2014, Rebecca Cigal of Niskayuna took her dog, Templeton,
for a walk on Dean Street in the City of Schenectady when two dogs that
had two previous charges of attacking others savagely mauled Templeton,
ultimately killing the dog. Had Ms. Cigal known there were dangerous
dogs on that block not secured by their owners, she would have elected
to walk her dog elsewhere.

Our residents shouldn't have to live in fear for their own safety or the
safety of their companion animals when they go for a walk because of
irresponsible dog owners. This bill serves to mitigate future dangerous
dog attacks by giving more transparency and information to the public
about dangerous dogs that are in their neighborhood so they can be more
aware of their surroundings while out for a walk.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

03/27/15: S.4567 REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
01/06/16: S.4567 REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
01/13/17: S.2502 REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
01/03/18: S.2502 REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
01/09/19: S.369 REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
01/08/20: S.369 REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.