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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
domestic violence; definition; animal abuse
Purpose
Adds specified animal cruelty offenses to the list of offenses that may qualify as domestic violence if specified circumstances are met.
Background
Domestic violence means various criminal acts against a person if any of the following applies: 1) the relationship between the victim and the defendant is one of marriage, former marriage or of persons residing or having resided in the same household; 2) the victim and the defendant have a child in common; 3) the victim or the defendant is pregnant by the other party; 4) the victim is related to the defendant or the defendant's spouse by blood or court order as a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother or sister or by marriage as a parent-in-law, grandparent-in-law, stepparent, step-grandparent, stepchild, step-grandchild, brother-in-law or sister-in-law; 5) the victim is a child who resides or has resided in the same household as the defendant and is related by blood to a former spouse of the defendant or to a person who resides or who has resided in the same household as the defendant; or 6) the relationship between the victim and the defendant is currently or was previously a romantic or sexual relationship (A.R.S. § 13-3601).
A person commits cruelty to animals if the person commits various criminal acts against an animal, including intentionally or knowingly: 1) subjecting a domestic animal to cruel mistreatment; or 2) killing a domestic animal without either legal privilege or consent of the domestic animal's owner or handler. Cruel mistreatment means to torture or otherwise inflict unnecessary serious physical injury on an animal or to kill an animal in a manner that causes protracted suffering to the animal (A.R.S. § 13-2910).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Adds, to the list of offenses that may qualify as domestic violence, intentionally or knowingly:
a) subjecting a domestic animal to cruel mistreatment; or
b) killing a domestic animal without either legal privilege or consent of the domestic animal's owner or handler.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
JUD 2/14/24 DP 8-0-0-1
3rd Read 2/22/24 55-2-2-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 19, 2024
ZD/KK/cs