Expands the definition of crops, livestock and livestock products to include purpose-bred animals raised for research, service animals, working dogs or any working animals in service on a farm.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3498B
SPONSOR: Jones TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to expand-
ing the definition of crops, livestock and livestock products
PURPOSE:
To acknowledge the important work and role of purpose-bred animals in
New York State.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends 301 of the agriculture and markets law, to include
purpose-bred animals.
Section 2. Provides that this act shall take effect immediately.
JUSTIFICATION:
In 2015-16, New York State designated working service dogs as the offi-
cial State dog. However, this legislation is needed to more fully
support and statutorily recognize the critical role and positive impact
working dogs and other animals contribute to modern society.
This legislation seeks to establish a new classification within the
Agriculture and Markets Law of "purpose bred animals" to clearly distin-
guish between companion and non-companion canines and other animals.
This classification recognizes significant differences from the current
definition of companion animals (or "pets") and affords needed
protections to the breeding, production, training, and the use of
canines and other animals for the specific applications for which they
were raised.
These applications include but are not limited to: public health and
safety; detection of explosives, invasive species, and other materials;
agriculture; medical service and therapy; biomedical research to improve
the health and wellness of humans and animals; and other applications in
which purpose bred animals directly contribute to the betterment of
society.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
05/13/21 referred to agriculture
12/08/21 amend (t) and recommit to agriculture
12/08/21 print number 7533a
01/05/22 referred to agriculture
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3498--B
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JONES -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Agriculture -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again
reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to expand-
ing the definition of crops, livestock and livestock products
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 301 of the agriculture and markets
2 law is amended by adding a new paragraph n to read as follows:
3 n. Purpose-bred animals, including but not limited to: (i) all types
4 of working dogs as defined in section ninety of the state law, including
5 but not limited to: (A) law enforcement dogs, including but not limited
6 to detection dogs, police work dogs, dogs used by the military, protec-
7 tive security and working search dogs, as such terms are defined in
8 section one hundred eight of this chapter; (B) personal service dogs,
9 including but not limited to service dogs, therapy dogs, guide dogs and
10 hearing dogs as those terms are defined in section one hundred eight of
11 this chapter; and (C) livestock and wildlife control dogs, which for
12 purposes of this article shall include any dog that is trained to herd
13 and/or protect livestock or control bird and/or wildlife populations and
14 is actually or has been used for such purposes; (ii) other service
15 animals as defined in section one hundred twenty-three-b of this chap-
16 ter; and (iii) any research animal, which for purposes of this article
17 shall include any animal that is raised or maintained specifically for
18 the purpose of regulated biomedical research to promote the health and
19 wellness of humans or animals.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06720-03-5
