Assembly Bill A8341

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8341
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 13, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ROSENTHAL  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation  to  estab-
   lishing  the  health  and  safety guidelines for cats living in retail
   food stores
 
   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 381-a to read as follows:
   § 381-A. HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR CATS LIVING IN  RETAIL  FOOD
 STORES.  1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A)  "RETAIL  FOOD  STORE" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS SECTION FIVE
 HUNDRED OF THIS CHAPTER.
   (B) "RESPONSIBLE CARE STANDARDS" SHALL MEAN THE MINIMUM STANDARDS  FOR
 THE  HUMANE  CARE OF CATS LIVING IN RETAIL FOOD STORES AS ESTABLISHED BY
 THE DEPARTMENT.
   (C) "CAT ZONE" SHALL MEAN AN AREA WITHIN A RETAIL FOOD STORE, SEPARATE
 FROM FOOD PREPARATION AND STORAGE  AREAS,  WHERE  A  CAT  CAN  REST  AND
 RETREAT.
   2.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  ESTABLISH  HEALTH  AND  SAFETY  GUIDELINES
 PERTAINING TO THE HUMANE AND SANITARY TREATMENT OF CATS LIVING IN RETAIL
 FOOD STORES.  SUCH GUIDELINES SHALL AUTHORIZE RETAIL FOOD  STORE  OWNERS
 OR  OPERATORS TO KEEP CATS IN RETAIL FOOD STORES IN ADHERENCE WITH RELE-
 VANT HEALTH CODE PROVISIONS, PROVIDED THAT SUCH RETAIL FOOD STORE IS  IN
 COMPLIANCE WITH RESPONSIBLE CARE STANDARDS.
   3.  THE  DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH RESPONSIBLE CARE STANDARDS FOR THE
 HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED
 TO:
   (A)  REQUIREMENTS  FOR  REGULAR  VETERINARY CHECK-UPS AND PREVENTATIVE
 CARE, INCLUDING VACCINATIONS;
   (B) MANDATORY SPAYING OR NEUTERING;

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11146-03-5
              

 A. 8341                             2
 
   (C) GUIDELINES  FOR  PROPER  NUTRITION,  INCLUDING  THE  PROVISION  OF
 ADEQUATE AND APPROPRIATE FOOD AND FRESH WATER;
   (D)  REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROVISION OF SAFE AND COMFORTABLE CAT ZONES;
 AND
   (E) STANDARDS FOR MAINTAINING A CLEAN AND SANITARY ENVIRONMENT.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such date.