Dangerous dogs bill passes Senate
Owners of dangerous dogs would face state-mandated penalties if their animals injure other people under a bill passed Monday by the state Senate.
House Bill 685 provides definitions and hearing procedures for determining whether a dog is dangerous or vicious. It defines procedures for handling and keeping them, including muzzling them and requiring a secure enclosure. If a dog has been defined as vicious, the owner must carry $50,000 in insurance and the dog must have a microchip inserted in it.
A dog owner may face at least a year in prison and at least a $5,000 fine if the dog injures someone on a second occasion. An owner would be guilty of a high and aggravated misdemeanor on the first occasion, a change made in a Senate committee.
The bill passed on a 50-1 vote. The House passed it March 7 but must now consider it again because of the change.
