HB 993

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to animal fighting or baiting;
3	amending s. 828.122, F.S.; specifying certain
4	equipment and paraphernalia that are illegal to own,
5	possess, or sell for use in animal fighting or
6	baiting; providing criminal penalties; providing
7	factors that may be used in determining whether an
8	object is animal fighting or baiting paraphernalia;
9	amending s. 895.02, F.S.; including illegal animal
10	fighting or baiting as an offense within the
11	definition of the term "racketeering activity" for
12	purposes of the Florida RICO (Racketeer Influenced and
13	Corrupt Organization) Act; providing an effective
14	date.
15
16	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18	Section 1.  Subsections (4) through (10) of section
19	828.122, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (5)
20	through (11), respectively, a new subsection (4) is added to
21	that section, and present subsection (3) of that section is
22	amended, to read:
23	828.122  Fighting or baiting animals; offenses; penalties.-
24	(3)  Any person who knowingly commits any of the following
25	acts commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as
26	provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084:
27	(a)  Baiting, breeding, training, transporting, selling,
28	owning, possessing, or using any wild or domestic animal for the
29	purpose of animal fighting or baiting;
30	(b)  Owning, possessing, or selling equipment or
31	paraphernalia for use in any activity described in paragraph
32	(a), including, but not limited to:
33	1.  A pen, pit, ring, or enclosure.
34	2.  A gaff, sparring glove, muff, blade, slasher, or other
35	implement designed to be attached to a bird in the location of
36	its natural spurs.
37	3.  A betting slip, a document or record relating to a
38	fight, training and fighting literature, or a fight trophy or
39	award.
40	4.  A cat mill, jenny, rape stand, spring pole, flirt pole,
41	break stick, supplement, drug, or scale when found in
42	combination with or in proximity to any other item listed in
43	subparagraphs 1.-3.;
44	(c)  Owning, leasing, managing, operating, or having
45	control of any property kept or used for any activity described
46	in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b);
47	(d)  Promoting, staging, advertising, or charging any
48	admission fee to a fight or baiting between two or more animals;
49	(e)  Performing any service or act to facilitate animal
50	fighting or baiting, including, but not limited to, providing
51	security, refereeing, or handling or transporting animals or
52	being a stakeholder of any money wagered on animal fighting or
53	baiting;
54	(f)  Removing or facilitating the removal of any animal
55	impounded under this section from an agency where the animal is
56	impounded or from a location designated by the court under
57	subsection (4), subsection (5), subsection (6), or subsection
58	(8) (7), without the prior authorization of the court;
59	(g)  Betting or wagering any money or other valuable
60	consideration on the fighting or baiting of animals; or
61	(h)  Attending the fighting or baiting of animals.
62
63	Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection to the
64	contrary, possession of the animal alone does not constitute a
65	violation of this section.
66	(4)  In determining whether an object is animal fighting or
67	baiting paraphernalia, a court or other authority or a jury
68	shall consider, in addition to all other logically relevant
69	factors, the following:
70	(a)  Statements by the owner or by anyone in control of the
71	object concerning its use.
72	(b)  The proximity of the object, in time and space, to a
73	violation of subsection (3).
74	(c)  The proximity of the object to an animal fight.
75	(d)  The existence of any blood on the object.
76	(e)  Direct or circumstantial evidence of the intent of the
77	owner, or of anyone in control of the object, to deliver the
78	object to a person who he or she knows, or should reasonably
79	know, intends to use the object to facilitate a violation of
80	this section.
81	(f)  Instructions, oral or written, provided with the
82	object concerning its use.
83	(g)  Descriptive materials accompanying the object which
84	explain or depict its use.
85	(h)  Any advertising concerning the object's use.
86	(i)  The manner in which the object is displayed for sale.
87	(j)  The existence and scope of legitimate uses for the
88	object in the community.
89	(k)  Expert testimony concerning the object's use.
90
91	A conviction for a violation of paragraph (3)(a) is not required
92	in order for a court or other authority or a jury to find that
93	the object is intended for use, or designed for use, as animal
94	fighting or baiting paraphernalia.
95	Section 2.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
96	895.02, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
97	895.02  Definitions.-As used in ss. 895.01-895.08, the
98	term:
99	(1)  "Racketeering activity" means to commit, to attempt to
100	commit, to conspire to commit, or to solicit, coerce, or
101	intimidate another person to commit:
102	(a)  Any crime that is chargeable by petition, indictment,
103	or information under the following provisions of the Florida
104	Statutes:
105	1.  Section 210.18, relating to evasion of payment of
106	cigarette taxes.
107	2.  Section 316.1935, relating to fleeing or attempting to
108	elude a law enforcement officer and aggravated fleeing or
109	eluding.
110	3.  Section 403.727(3)(b), relating to environmental
111	control.
112	4.  Section 409.920 or s. 409.9201, relating to Medicaid
113	fraud.
114	5.  Section 414.39, relating to public assistance fraud.
115	6.  Section 440.105 or s. 440.106, relating to workers'
116	compensation.
117	7.  Section 443.071(4), relating to creation of a
118	fictitious employer scheme to commit unemployment compensation
119	fraud.
120	8.  Section 465.0161, relating to distribution of medicinal
121	drugs without a permit as an Internet pharmacy.
122	9.  Section 499.0051, relating to crimes involving
123	contraband and adulterated drugs.
124	10.  Part IV of chapter 501, relating to telemarketing.
125	11.  Chapter 517, relating to sale of securities and
126	investor protection.
127	12.  Section 550.235 or s. 550.3551, relating to dogracing
128	and horseracing.
129	13.  Chapter 550, relating to jai alai frontons.
130	14.  Section 551.109, relating to slot machine gaming.
131	15.  Chapter 552, relating to the manufacture,
132	distribution, and use of explosives.
133	16.  Chapter 560, relating to money transmitters, if the
134	violation is punishable as a felony.
135	17.  Chapter 562, relating to beverage law enforcement.
136	18.  Section 624.401, relating to transacting insurance
137	without a certificate of authority, s. 624.437(4)(c)1., relating
138	to operating an unauthorized multiple-employer welfare
139	arrangement, or s. 626.902(1)(b), relating to representing or
140	aiding an unauthorized insurer.
141	19.  Section 655.50, relating to reports of currency
142	transactions, when such violation is punishable as a felony.
143	20.  Chapter 687, relating to interest and usurious
144	practices.
145	21.  Section 721.08, s. 721.09, or s. 721.13, relating to
146	real estate timeshare plans.
147	22.  Section 775.13(5)(b), relating to registration of
148	persons found to have committed any offense for the purpose of
149	benefiting, promoting, or furthering the interests of a criminal
150	gang.
151	23.  Section 777.03, relating to commission of crimes by
152	accessories after the fact.
153	24.  Chapter 782, relating to homicide.
154	25.  Chapter 784, relating to assault and battery.
155	26.  Chapter 787, relating to kidnapping or human
156	trafficking.
157	27.  Chapter 790, relating to weapons and firearms.
158	28.  Chapter 794, relating to sexual battery, but only if
159	such crime was committed with the intent to benefit, promote, or
160	further the interests of a criminal gang, or for the purpose of
161	increasing a criminal gang member's own standing or position
162	within a criminal gang.
163	29.  Section 796.03, s. 796.035, s. 796.04, s. 796.045, s.
164	796.05, or s. 796.07, relating to prostitution and sex
165	trafficking.
166	30.  Chapter 806, relating to arson and criminal mischief.
167	31.  Chapter 810, relating to burglary and trespass.
168	32.  Chapter 812, relating to theft, robbery, and related
169	crimes.
170	33.  Chapter 815, relating to computer-related crimes.
171	34.  Chapter 817, relating to fraudulent practices, false
172	pretenses, fraud generally, and credit card crimes.
173	35.  Chapter 825, relating to abuse, neglect, or
174	exploitation of an elderly person or disabled adult.
175	36.  Section 827.071, relating to commercial sexual
176	exploitation of children.
177	37.  Section 828.122, relating to fighting or baiting
178	animals.
179	38.37.  Chapter 831, relating to forgery and
180	counterfeiting.
181	39.38.  Chapter 832, relating to issuance of worthless
182	checks and drafts.
183	40.39.  Section 836.05, relating to extortion.
184	41.40.  Chapter 837, relating to perjury.
185	42.41.  Chapter 838, relating to bribery and misuse of
186	public office.
187	43.42.  Chapter 843, relating to obstruction of justice.
188	44.43.  Section 847.011, s. 847.012, s. 847.013, s. 847.06,
189	or s. 847.07, relating to obscene literature and profanity.
190	45.44.  Section 849.09, s. 849.14, s. 849.15, s. 849.23, or
191	s. 849.25, relating to gambling.
192	46.45.  Chapter 874, relating to criminal gangs.
193	47.46.  Chapter 893, relating to drug abuse prevention and
194	control.
195	48.47.  Chapter 896, relating to offenses related to
196	financial transactions.
197	49.48.  Sections 914.22 and 914.23, relating to tampering
198	with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant, and
199	retaliation against a witness, victim, or informant.
200	50.49.  Sections 918.12 and 918.13, relating to tampering
201	with jurors and evidence.
202	Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.