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Assembly Bill A10942

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires the municipal police training council establish a use of force policy for companion animals

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Current Bill Status - In Assembly Committee

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2025-A10942 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Assembly Codes
Law Section:
Executive Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §840, Exec L

2025-A10942 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the municipal police training council establish a use of force policy for companion animals; defines companion animals.

2025-A10942 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10942
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 14, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. CLARK -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Codes
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring the  munici-
   pal police training council to establish a use of force policy regard-
   ing encounters with companion animals
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivision 4 of  section  840  of  the  executive  law  is
 amended by adding a new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
   (E)  (1) ESTABLISH AND REGULARLY UPDATE A MODEL LAW ENFORCEMENT USE OF
 FORCE POLICY REGARDING ENCOUNTERS WITH COMPANION ANIMALS.
   (2) THE MODEL LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPANION ANIMAL  USE  OF  FORCE  POLICY
 SHALL INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) UNDERSTANDING THE BEHAVIOR OF COMPANION ANIMALS;
   (II)  TACTICAL  CONSIDERATIONS  AND  BEST  PRACTICES DURING ENCOUNTERS
 INVOLVING COMPANION ANIMALS; AND
   (III) SAFE HANDLING OF, AND APPROPRIATE USE OF FORCE AGAINST COMPANION
 ANIMALS.
   (3) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PARAGRAPH, "COMPANION ANIMAL"  MEANS  ANY
 DOG  OR  CAT, AND SHALL ALSO MEAN ANY OTHER DOMESTICATED ANIMAL NORMALLY
 MAINTAINED IN OR NEAR THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE OWNER OR PERSON WHO CARES FOR
 SUCH OTHER DOMESTICATED ANIMAL. FURTHER, A COMPANION  ANIMAL  SHALL  NOT
 INCLUDE  A  "FARM ANIMAL" AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF
 SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF THE AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS LAW.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15405-01-6

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