Legislation – State Bills
Strengthening Laws that Protect Animals and Striking Down Laws Hurting Animals
The Animal Legal Defense Fund works at the state and local levels to advance important legislation. We advocate for laws that promote or protect the lives and interests of animals, and we oppose legislation that would be detrimental to animals’ well-being.
We also work closely with the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s other programs to identify opportunities to create model legislation that address strategic legal issues in the areas of civil and criminal law, and monitor legislation that impacts animals at the state and local levels.
State Bills
Pigeon Shoot Ban Bill (Pennsylvania)
H.B. 2139
Pennsylvania state bill aims to prohibit cruel pigeon shoots in the state.
A Bill to Ban Wild Animals in Circuses (New York)
A.4005-A/S.4363-A
This New York bill would prohibit the use of certain wild animals in circuses or traveling animal acts throughout the state, including big cats, bears, nonhuman primates, kangaroos, and wallabies.
Helping Animal and Human Victims Alike Escape Domestic Violence (Rhode Island)
H.B. 7236/S.B. 2655
This bill updates existing Rhode Island law to help victims of abuse — both human and animal — safely flee abusive situations.
Humane Pet Store Bill (New Jersey)
S.2511/A.4051
This bill would prohibit the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in New Jersey pet shops.
Restricting Public Contact with Wild Animals (Pennsylvania)
H.B. 1451
This bill would restrict the public from feeding or having direct physical contact with wildlife without a separating barrier.
The Mink Facility Disease Prevention Act (Illinois)
S.B. 3262
This bill would phase out mink farming in Illinois until it’s fully banned in January 2025.
Oppose: Ag-Gag Bill to Criminalize Undercover Animal Cruelty Investigations (Kansas)
H.B. 2816
This bill would prohibit anyone from entering or remaining on and knowingly making false statements on an employment application to gain access to animal facilities.
Oppose: An Act Relating to Taking of Bears (Florida)
H.B. 87
This bill would allow Florida residents to shoot black bears if they feel threatened or they feel their property is threatened by the bear.
Oppose: Ag-Gag Bill to Prohibit Photography (Kentucky)
S.B. 16
This bill would make it a crime to operate a drone or other photography equipment over a Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) — also known as a factory farm — or take any form of photography within a CAFO without the consent of the facility’s owner.
Oppose: Retail Pet Sale Ban Preemption (Indiana)
H.B. 1412
This bill seeks to prohibit municipalities from passing retail pet sale bans, which protect animals from the cruelty of commercial puppy and kitten mills.
Transparency in Animal Testing (Missouri)
S.B. 1319
This bill would allow the public to be informed on the types of animal research activities in Missouri’s publicly funded universities and encourage the universities to reduce the use of animals in research in favor of humane, effective alternatives
Oppose: Retail Pet Sale Ban Preemption Bill (Missouri)
H.B. 2265/S.B. 937
This bill would prevent cities and counties in Missouri from enacting retail pet sale bans.
Traveling Animal Act Ban (Maryland)
H.B. 379/S.B. 0547
This bill would prohibit the participation of a bear, cougar, elephant, jaguar, leopard (excluding clouded leopards), lion, nonhuman primate, tiger, or any hybrid of these animals in a traveling act in Maryland.
Ending the Intensive Confinement of Hens Used in the Egg Industry (Maryland)
S.B. 193/H.B. 357
This bill would require that eggs produced or sold in Maryland meet cage-free standards
Cat Declawing Ban (Pennsylvania)
H.B. 508/S.B. 1178
This bill would ban cat declawing procedures, except for therapeutic purposes.
Cat Declawing Ban (Michigan)
H.B. 4883 and H.B. 4674
Proposed legislation would prohibit cat declaw procedures in Michigan unless for therapeutic purposes.
An Act to Increase Kennel Safety (Massachusetts)
S. 1309/H. 4919
This law, also known as Ollie’s Law, requires the state to put into effect minimum standards for certain types of kennels such as daycares and boarding facilities.
An Act concerning the surgical declawing of cats and other animals (New Jersey)
S.1803/A.2578
This bill would prohibit the surgical declawing of cats and other animals in New Jersey, except in rare cases of medical necessity for the cat.
Cat Declaw Bill (Rhode Island)
S.B. 2007/H.B. 7052
This bill would ban cat declawing in Rhode Island, with an exemption for situations in which the procedure is necessary for a legitimate medical purpose for the well-being of the cat.
An Act Prohibiting Inhumane Feline Declawing (Massachusetts)
S.2552
This bill would prohibit cat declawing except as a medical necessity to protect the cat’s health.
Mass Animal Fund (Massachusetts)
H. 3900 Amendment #139/S. 3 Amendments ENV #4 & #8
This amendment in the state budget bill for fiscal year 2024, H.3900/S.3, will allocate $100,000 to critical companion animal health services.
Prohibiting harmful practices and devices at rodeos (Los Angeles, CA)
Council File: 20-1575
Proposed Los Angeles ordinance would prohibit the use of harmful practices, techniques, and devices at rodeos or rodeo-related events
Humane Protection of Animals Act (Massachusetts)
S.1142/H.1718
The Humane Protection of Animals Act (S.1142/H.1718) contains a collection of provisions that strengthen and clarify Massachusetts’ animal cruelty laws.
Promote Alternatives to Cosmetics and Product Testing on Animals (Massachusetts)
S.1424/H.850
Bill would require manufacturers and their contract testing facilities to use methods that replace animal testing of products and ingredients for cosmetics, household cleaners, and industrial chemicals.
Animal Possession Ban (Massachusetts)
An Act to Protect Animals From Convicted Animal Abusers (H.1703/S.1076)
Bars people convicted of animal cruelty from possessing, adopting, or fostering animals for at least five years after their release from custody
Ensure That Dogs and Their Families Can Stay Together (Massachusetts)
An Act to Maintain Stable Housing for Families with Pets in an Economic Crisis and Beyond (S.876/H.1367)
Expands access to housing by prohibiting certain discriminatory policies for tenants, residents, homeowners, and renters based on their dog’s breed and by helping ensure families can be housed together with companion animals during a state of emergency
Ryder’s Law
Intro 573
Proposed New York City legislation will phase out and ban horse-drawn carriages in the city and replace them with horseless, electric carriages.
An Act Concerning the Feeding of Black Bear (New Jersey)
A.1967/S.1891
This important “Bear Smart” bill aims to protect black bears in New Jersey by preventing unintentional feeding, a root cause of human-bear interactions.
Oppose: SJR 3 Puts Ohio Wildlife in Danger (Ohio)
Ohio Senate Joint Resolution 3 would allow for hunting and fishing using inhumane “traditional” hunting and trapping methods and mandate hunting and fishing as a “preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife.”
Protect Domestic Animals from Cruel Conditions with Civil Citations (Massachusetts)
S.1059/H.2102
Allows Massachusetts law enforcement officers to remediate situations involving animals kept in cruel conditions by issuing civil citations.
Protecting Animals from Rat Poisons (Massachusetts)
An Act Relative to Pesticides (S.487/H.825)
Would reduce the use of rat poisons in Massachusetts to protect wild animals as well as companion animals
Banning the Sale of Foie Gras (Rhode Island)
Force-Fed Poultry Products Act (HB 7056/SB 2301)
Prohibits restaurants and retailers from selling any force-fed poultry product or food containing a force-fed poultry product.
Banning the Sale of Fur (Massachusetts)
An Act Prohibiting the Sale of Fur Products (H.849/S.590)
Bans the sale of new fur products, including clothing, fashion accessories, and home décor, in the Commonwealth.
Courtroom Animal Advocate Program (New York)
S.1659/A.111
Courtroom Animal Advocate Program (CAAP) laws allow advocates — supervised law students or volunteer lawyers — to advocate for animal victims in criminal cruelty cases.
Courtroom Animal Advocate Program (New Jersey)
A.1965/S.2211
Courtroom Animal Advocate Program (CAAP) laws allow advocates — supervised law students or volunteer lawyers — to advocate for animal victims in criminal cruelty cases
Banning Killing Contests (New Jersey)
A.1142/S.2754
Proposed legislation would prohibit harassing or killing certain wildlife at competitive events.
