A00637 Text:

                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K

       ________________________________________________________________________

                                          637

                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y

                                      (PREFILED)

                                    January 7, 2015

                                      ___________

       Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, MOYA, ENGLEBRIGHT, BROOK-KRASNY, COOK,

         LAVINE,  ZEBROWSKI  -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GOTTFRIED, PERRY

         -- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development

       AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation  to  the  prohibi-

         tions on circus performances

         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-

       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

    1    Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section

    2  392-j to read as follows:

    3    S 392-J. PROHIBITIONS ON CIRCUS PERFORMANCES.  1. DEFINITIONS. AS USED

    4  IN THIS SECTION:

    5    (A) "ANIMAL" INCLUDES ANIMALS AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION

    6  THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF THE AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS LAW.

    7    (B) "CIRCUS" MEANS ANY PERFORMANCE OF ANIMALS WHERE SUCH  ANIMALS  ARE

    8  TRAINED  TO  PERFORM  SOME  BEHAVIOR  OR  ACTION  OR ARE PART OF A SHOW,

    9  PARADE, OR PERFORMANCE.   SUCH DEFINITION SHALL  NOT  BE  APPLICABLE  TO

   10  NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS WHICH HAVE RECEIVED 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT STATUS

   11  FROM THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.

   12    (C)  "DEFICIENCY"  MEANS  AN  ITEM  NOT  IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ANIMAL

   13  WELFARE ACT, 7 U.S.C. 2131 ET SEQ., AND ITS SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS, REGU-

   14  LATIONS AND STANDARDS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO THE ACT.

   15    2. IF WITHIN THE PRECEDING TWO YEAR PERIOD, (A)  A  CIRCUS,  INCLUDING

   16  ITS  OWNERS,  AGENTS,  EMPLOYEES,  OR  REPRESENTATIVES, WAS CITED BY THE

   17  UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR A DEFICIENCY RELATING TO THE

   18  CARE OR HANDLING OF AN ANIMAL, OR RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL NOTICE  OF  WARN-

   19  ING,  OR  ENTERED INTO A STIPULATION, CONSENT DECREE, OR SETTLEMENT WITH

   20  THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE  PURSUANT  TO  THE  ANIMAL

   21  WELFARE ACT, 7 U.S.C. 2131 ET SEQ., AND ITS SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS, REGU-

   22  LATIONS  AND STANDARDS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO THE ACT, RELATING TO THE CARE

   23  OR HANDLING OF AN ANIMAL, OR (B) A CIRCUS, INCLUDING ITS OWNERS, AGENTS,

        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                                  LBD02528-01-5

       A. 637                              2

    1  EMPLOYEES, OR REPRESENTATIVES, WAS FOUND GUILTY OF VIOLATING THE LAW  OF

    2  ANY  STATE  RELATING TO CRUELTY TO OR NEGLECT OF AN ANIMAL OWNED, LEASED

    3  OR IN ANY WAY USED BY THE CIRCUS, OR PLED GUILTY TO A CHARGE OTHER  THAN

    4  THE  ANIMAL  CRUELTY  OR  NEGLECT  CHARGE  IN SATISFACTION OF THE ANIMAL

    5  CRUELTY OR NEGLECT CHARGE, OR WHERE THE ANIMAL CRUELTY OR NEGLECT CHARGE

    6  HAS NOT RESULTED IN A DISMISSAL ON THE MERITS, AN APPLICATION  SHALL  BE

    7  MADE  BY  THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF

    8  NEW YORK TO A COURT OR JUSTICE HAVING JURISDICTION BY A SPECIAL PROCEED-

    9  ING TO ISSUE AN INJUNCTION, AND UPON NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT OF NOT LESS

   10  THAN FIVE DAYS, TO ENJOIN AND RESTRAIN THE DEFENDANT FROM USING  ANIMALS

   11  IN  A  CIRCUS  WITHIN THE STATE FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED TWO YEARS. IN

   12  CONNECTION WITH ANY SUCH PROPOSED APPLICATION, THE ATTORNEY  GENERAL  IS

   13  AUTHORIZED  TO TAKE PROOF AND MAKE A DETERMINATION OF THE RELEVANT FACTS

   14  AND TO ISSUE SUBPOENAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE  CIVIL  PRACTICE  LAW  AND

   15  RULES.

   16    3. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT OR RESTRICT ANY

   17  PROTECTIONS  AFFORDED  TO  ANIMALS  UNDER  ANY OTHER LAW, RULE, OR REGU-

   18  LATIONS.

   19    S 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall

   20  have become a law.