TN bills updated, NC HB 733 added.

This covers just the state commercial breeder bills; it doesn't have
the MSN bills in California, Florida, Alabama, and ??? Texas, maybe?
However, if people in the states that have statewide MSN bills will
post the info, I'll compile and post that from time to time, as with
this.

Please check your state's info in the list below and tell the list
if it is incorrect or out of date.

I count 25 no-commercial-breeding bills paralleling Virginia's HB 538
introduced, seven beaten, two passed. Those counts are only
approximate -- sometimes 'update' posts are unclear.

For the bills that are most important to you, you should check sources
yourself -- state pet-law email lists, and (better yet) links given or
the state's web site.

Walt Hutchens
Timbreblue Whippets

==========================

AR -- License if 12 or more dogs + cats. Authorities may inspect for
violations without warrant.
SB 864
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Bills/SB864.pdf
On hold for now; recommended to be studied by the interim ag
committee.

CA -- Limit of 50 dogs+CATS that are intact, euthanasia must be by vet.
AB 241
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0201-0250/ab_241_bill_20090210_introduced.html
http://tinyurl.com/aldzvn
Assigned to Local Government committee.

CO -- 25 limit
SB 1127
Defeated in first Committee hearing. Colorado already has licensing
of all but the smallest breeders.

DE -- 25 breeding dog limit, requirements for vet care. The bill
summary says "This bill adopts the recommendations of the Humane
Society of the United States regarding restrictions on the large-scale
for-profit dog breeding operations commonly known as 'puppy mills.'"
HB 95
http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS145.nsf/vwLegislation/HB+95?Opendocument

FL -- License required over 20, 50 limit
S 2002
http://tinyurl.com/czjp5d
Filed 2/23/09

IA -- State will regulate dealers already regulated by USDA,
eliminates public hearing before license revocation. Number limits in
regulations?
HF 486
http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=BillInfo&Service=Billbook&ga=83&menu=text&hbill=HF486
http://tinyurl.com/cz5q5o
SF 265
http://tinyurl.com/c3zezp
4/27 HF 486 did not make it -- dead.

IL -- License required if 3 or more females for sale of offspring, limit
of 20 unaltered dogs.
HB 0198
http://tinyurl.com/apmphl
Hearing Business/occupational licenses comm. on Feb 19th
Was not brought up for vote. Dead for this year.

IN -- Pet dealer if you sell over 5 puppies/year. Registration as
commercial breeder reqd. if you breed 10 or more litters/12 month
period. Limits and standards for confinement removed from HB 1468.
http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2009/HCRF/CR146801.001.html
Passed out of committee on 2/11;
passed by House on 2/19.
3/14 Amended to remove limits, etc. in Senate.
SB 238 amended 3/24, commercial dealer if 20 or more unaltered
females, limit of 30 at one location.
http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2009/ES/ES0238.1.html
4/7 Passed both houses but amended in House, back to Senate for
passage as amended.

LA -- Limit of 50
Passed 2008

MD -- Limit of 50 dogs for breeding purposes, if over 10 then enclosure
size reqts, at least 2 exercise periods of 2 hrs daily.
HB 495/SB 318
http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/bills/hb/hb0495f.pdf
Hearing on HB 495 scheduled Feb 12th, SB 318 Feb 18th
SB 318 reported dead on 3/6

ME -- Limit of 10 dogs or cats for breeding. Intact animal fee
$150/each for dogs & cats; if any dogs or cats are sold, then
$500/year/intact dog/cat.
LD 1053 Pulled by sponsor 3/20
HP 0728

http://janus.state.me.us/legis/LawMakerWeb/externalsiteframe.asp?ID=280031924&LD=1053&Type=1&SessionID=8
http://tinyurl.com/bqau8l

MN -- SF 7/HF 253 Originally commercial breeder is 6 breedable
females/50 dog total limit. Females in estrus must not be housed with
unneutered males, except for breeding purposes; Criminal background
checks, licensing, It is a misdemeanor for an unlicensed breeder to
advertise animals for sale.,more rules after law passes

SF 7 Tabled in Senate Ag. HF 253 amended, tabled in Ag, Rural Econ,
Vet Affairs.

Other MN bills went nowhere.

SF 500 HF 573 Minnesota Puppy and Kitten Mill Cruelty Prevention Act,
Commercial breeder limit of 40 animals one has an 'interest'
in....includes co ownerships. Gaining co authors.

MT -- State Department of Livestock to make regulations for sellers of
dogs, including inspection, various facility and other standards.
Applies to those selling 100 or more dogs/year.
HB 548
Has been very substantially watered down from original bill.
http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billpdf/HB0548.pdf

NC -- Commercial dog breeder if 15 or more females in 12 mos. for
purpose of selling offspring. Board of Ag to establish standards for
care, housing, exercise, record keeping. Females not to be bred if
younger than 18 mos or over 8 years, must have vet exam.
SB 460
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2009&BillID=SB+460&submitButton=Go
http://tinyurl.com/acsk6m [status]
http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S460v0.pdf
[bill]
Filed 3/5
HB 733 -- Commercial dog breeder if over 15 females, limit of 20; Dept
Ag regulations, rules to be written by counties, records, standards
for care, etc.
Hearing to be held 4/22

NE -- Limit of 75 for commercial breeders, engineering standards
for kennels. Adds ventilation, fire suppression, other reqts.
LB 677
http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Intro/LB677.pdf
2/20/09 Indefinitely postponed -- usually means 'dead.'
LB 241 Has limit of 250.

NH -- Must have 60 day license if selling over 1 dog/cat/year, limit
2/year, state already has licensing for commercial breeders.
HB0337
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2009/HB0337.html
Bill killed in Agriculture Committee on 2/11/09

NV -- Must have $500 license to breed dogs or cats for sale, dog or
cat may be bred no more than twice, linkages to other state licenses,
child support, etc.
SB 241
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/75th2009/Bills/SB/SB241.pdf
4/11 -- Not approved in committee by deadline, dead for the year

NY -- Limit of 75 dogs if breeder wants to sell or transfer any.
S 518
http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S00518&sh=t

A05507-change the definition of a "pet dealer" to mean
any person who engages in the sale of more than five animals (rather
than nine) per year directly to the consumer.....The definition
of "pet dealer" is also amended such that a breeder is considered a
pet dealer if he or she sells directly to the consumer more than ten
animals per year (rather than twenty five) that are raised on the
breeders residence."
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A05507

A07285 -- Limit of 50 intact dogs or cats if you sell any.
http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A07285

OH -- If 9 litters or 40 puppies, 'regulated breeding kennel.'
License, annual inspection, regulations to be written. Sales
prohibited at public places except regulated facilities.
SB 095

OK -- Limit of 34 transferred/given away/sold without license, out of
state dealer also requires lic. State Board of Ag to make regulations
at least as stringent as USDA. Usual long list of reasons for
denying/revoking license.
HB 1332
http://www.okvma.org/associations/2557/files/2PQA2009HB1332.pdf
Reported passed sen. committee on 4/1
http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2009-10bills/SB/hb1332_sflr.rtf

OR -- If over 10 must follow stds. for commercial breeder, limit
25. If raise over 3 litters or sell over 20 dogs you are a 'pet
dealer'; many reqts.
HB 2470
http://landru.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measures/hb2400.dir/hb2470.intro.html.

TN -- License required over 20 female dogs, no limit of 75, euthanasia must
be done by vet, some animal control could be outsourced to national
'humane' organizations like HSUS.
SB 258
http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/106/Bill/SB0258.pdf
5/3 Headed to Finance, Ways and Means Committee
HB 386
5/3 Delayed in Judiciary Committee

TX -- Comm. breeder license required over 10 intact female dogs.
Inspections, standards. If required to collect sales tax, 'dealer'
status with puppy lemon requirements.
HB 3180
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/html/HB03180I.htm
SB 1910
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/html/SB01910I.htm

VA -- License required if 30/year owned for breeding, limit of 50 for
breeding. Sets rules, requires inspections. Local option for higher limit.
HB 538
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+ful+CHAP0852
Passed, effective from 1/1/9

WA -- Limit of 25 intact dogs, enclosure rules, 1 hour daily exercise
period, ventilation, fire suppression, temperature, and other reqts.
SB5651
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5651.pdf
HB1936
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1936.pdf
4/14 Appears to have passed both houses, just needs the two versions
conformed.

WI -- Regulations for those who sell more than 25 dogs in a year. Lots
of requirements.
AB 250
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2009/data/AB-250.pdf
4/30 Bill filed

WV -- Commercial breeder if over 20 dogs over 1 year, limit of 40, MANY
requirements.
HB 2843
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb2843%20intr.htm&yr=2009&Sesstype=RS&i=2843
http://tinyurl.com/b9faey

This is a very important issue. How will it be when they can walk on your property and they decide that you are not doing things right and take your dogs. Before you can even do anything they place them in new homes. It happens more than we know. Things are just getting out of control. And dont forget all the "sue happy" folks out there that you sell too.They want to just excersise their "rights" under the law. Then you wonder why the price difference from state to state. As a breeder, if you are subject to all these rules and regulations then the price has to reflect it to cover you costs.
Its really becoming a sad "state" of affairs.

Any word on the Connecticut situation?

OH -- If 9 litters or 40 puppies, 'regulated breeding kennel.'
License, annual inspection, regulations to be written. Sales
prohibited at public places except regulated facilities.
SB 095


This summary may look innocent enough, but there are several 'OR'-sentences within the bill that will end up including ALL breeders.