Florida Senate - 2025                                     SB 150
       
       
        
       By Senator Gaetz
       
       
       
       
       
       1-00702-25                                             2025150__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to animal cruelty during a declared
    3         state of emergency; amending s. 828.12, F.S.;
    4         providing increased criminal penalties for animal
    5         cruelty offenses committed during a declared state of
    6         emergency; providing an effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 828.12, Florida
   11  Statutes, is amended to read:
   12         828.12 Cruelty to animals.—
   13         (1)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a person who
   14  unnecessarily overloads, overdrives, torments, deprives of
   15  necessary sustenance or shelter, or unnecessarily mutilates, or
   16  kills any animal, or causes the same to be done, or carries in
   17  or upon any vehicle, or otherwise, any animal in a cruel or
   18  inhumane manner, commits animal cruelty, a misdemeanor of the
   19  first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine
   20  of not more than $5,000, or both.
   21         (b) A person who commits a violation of paragraph (a)
   22  during a state of emergency declared pursuant to s. 252.36 in an
   23  area included in the state of emergency commits a felony of the
   24  third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083,
   25  or s. 775.084.
   26         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.