HB0106 Dougherty, Patrick

C O M M I T T E E

HB 106, HCA 1, 2, 3, 4 -- ANIMAL FIGHTING

SPONSOR: Dougherty

COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Civil and Criminal Law by a vote of 13 to 3.

The bill:

(1) Makes persons who own, possess, train, or surgically alter an animal for a fighting or wrestling exhibition with another animal guilty of a class D felony;

(2) Makes persons who knowingly own or possess animal fighting paraphernalia guilty of a class D felony;

(3) Makes persons who knowingly allow animal fighting or wrestling on their premises guilty of a class D felony; and

(4) Makes spectators at an animal fighting or wrestling exhibition guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

HCAs 1, 2, 3, & 4 -- make technical changes to the bill.

FISCAL NOTE: No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS: Supporters say that until 1985, Missouri banned cockfighting or animal fighting by statute, until a Missouri Supreme Court ruling held the statute to be unconstitutionally vague. Moreover, 45 states currently prohibit this bloodsport that fosters gambling, drugs, prostitution, and other illegal activities.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Dougherty; Humane Society of the United States; Alliance For Animal Legislation of Missouri; Missouri Highway Patrol; and Missouri Police Chiefs Association.

OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill say that cockfighting is a family oriented sport that has been in existence for 3,000 years. Most of the gamers are property-owning, law-abiding citizens that enjoy the beauty of game birds for sport or mere ownership.

Testifying against the bill was United Game Breeders Association of Missouri.

Michael Warrick, Research Analyst