CS/HB 559: Animal Welfare
GENERAL BILL by Criminal Justice Subcommittee ; Chaney ; López, J. ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Bartleman ; Weinberger
Animal Welfare; Creates offense of causing or enticing minor to commit, or in presence of minor committing, animal cruelty; requires court order minor who commits specified acts of animal cruelty to undergo psychological evaluation & receive counseling & treatment; requires parent, guardian, or state to pay for evaluation, counseling, & treatment; authorizes court to hold parent or guardian in contempt; requires FDLE to post on website information relating to individuals convicted of specified animal cruelty offenses; specifies time periods for posting information; requires department develop procedure for person to petition for removal of his or her information; requires department remove specified information; specifies time period within which information must be removed; authorizes department to adopt rules; requires clerks of court & county detention facilities to provide FDLE with specified information, data, & images; creates offense of causing or enticing minor to commit, or in presence of minor committing, fighting or baiting animals; creates offense of causing or enticing minor to commit, or in presence of minor committing, sexual activities involving animals; increases maximum civil penalty for specified violations of animal control or cruelty ordinances; increases level on offense severity ranking chart for fighting or baiting animals; ranks offenses on offense severity ranking chart.
Bill History
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 12/1/2025 | House |
• Filed |
| 12/12/2025 | House |
• Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee • Referred to Justice Budget Subcommittee • Referred to Judiciary Committee • Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee |
| 1/13/2026 | House |
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version) |
| 2/3/2026 | House |
• PCS added to Criminal Justice Subcommittee agenda |
| 2/5/2026 | House |
• Favorable with CS by Criminal Justice Subcommittee • Reported out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee • Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a) • CS Filed • 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1) |
| 2/6/2026 | House |
• Referred to Judiciary Committee • Now in Judiciary Committee |
