File No. 567

House of Representatives, April 13, 2015

The Committee on Environment reported through REP. ALBIS of the 99th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT REQUIRING CERTAIN HIGHER EDUCATION FACILITIES THAT CONDUCT RESEARCH USING CATS OR DOGS TO OFFER SUCH CATS OR DOGS TO ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS PRIOR TO EUTHANIZING ANY SUCH CAT OR DOG.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2015) (a) For purposes of this section, "animal adoption or animal rescue organization" means any collaboration of individuals or any nonprofit organization that is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as amended from time to time that has, as part of such collaboration's or organization's purposes, the sale or placement of animals that were removed from animal shelters, municipal dog pounds or an individual's home.

(b) Each constituent unit of the state system of higher education, each public institution of higher education and each independent institution of higher education shall offer for adoption by an animal adoption or animal rescue organization any cat or dog that such constituent unit or institution of higher education possesses for the purpose of conducting research or testing provided such offer occurs after the completion of any such research or testing, such research or testing does not require the destruction of such cat or dog and such animal is no longer needed by such constituent unit or institution of higher education. Any constituent unit of higher education or institution of higher education that is required to offer a cat or dog for adoption pursuant to this section may enter into an agreement with an animal adoption or animal rescue organization for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this section.

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst's professional knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.


OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

The bill requires institutions of higher education to offer dogs and cats used for research for adoption. No state or municipal fiscal impact is anticipated.

The Out Years

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

OLR Bill Analysis

sHB 5707

AN ACT REQUIRING CERTAIN HIGHER EDUCATION FACILITIES THAT CONDUCT RESEARCH USING CATS OR DOGS TO OFFER SUCH CATS OR DOGS TO ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS PRIOR TO EUTHANIZING ANY SUCH CAT OR DOG.

SUMMARY:

This bill requires public and private higher education institutions, under certain circumstances, to offer any cat or dog on which they have conducted research or testing to an animal adoption or rescue organization for adoption. An offer for adoption must only occur when the (1) research or testing is complete, (2) destruction of the animal is not required, and (3) animal is no longer needed by the institution.

The bill allows the institutions to enter into agreements with the adoption or rescue organizations for this purpose. It specifies that these organizations include a collaboration of individuals or a nonprofit organization whose purposes include selling or placing animals that were removed from animal shelters, municipal dog pounds, or homes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2015

COMMITTEE ACTION

Environment Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute