S303 Requires municipal court to hear certain violations of animal cruelty statutes within 14 days of the summons date
January 17, 2010
S303 requires that a person cited in violation of R.S.4:22-17 or subsections a. or c. of R.S.4:22-26 be issued a summons to appear in municipal court either (1) no later than 14 days after the date on which the summons is issued, or (2) on the next scheduled municipal court date in the event the municipal court convenes less frequently than biweekly. The summons must specify an appearance date either (1) within the 14 days after the date on which the summons is issued, or (2) on the next scheduled municipal court date in the event the municipal court convenes less frequently than biweekly, and be signed by the clerk of the court. Â
The bill also requires the case be placed on the docket for the municipal court for the appearance date on the summons.  R.S.4:22-17 and subsections a. and c. of R.S.4:22-26 are the State laws dealing with the criminal and civil penalties, respectively, for the overdriving, overloading, torturing and tormenting of animals, including the deprivation of necessaryÂ
sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beating or otherwise abusing the animal, needlessly mutilating or killing the animal, and otherwise inflicting unnecessary cruelty upon the animal or unnecessarily failing to provide it with proper food, drink, shelter or protection from the weather.Â
The Department of Health and Senior Services defines proper food, drink, shelter or protection from the weather in regulations codified in Title 29 of the New Jersey Administrative Code.
Primary Sponsor: Diane B. Allen
January 12, 2010 Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee
Pending New Jersey legislation regarding animals or animal welfare is listed in this section by bill number. Unless otherwise noted, the AWFNJ does not specifically endorse or support these proposed bills. Bills are posted for information purposes only and we welcome your input on each of them.