Sunday, February 24, 2008
2008 Florida Legislative Session Roundup: House
A few days ago, I'd posted links to the bills that have been introduced on the
Senate side for the upcoming legislative session. Here's a similar list for
the house with links to bill information. While its buried at the end, note the
recent filing of a bill designed to prevent the cruel restraint of dogs. I'll
mention it in a separate post as well, but it's definitely worth checking out.
Also, some of these bills are are companion pieces to similar bills in the Senate:


House Bill 101 - Relating to Dangerous Dogs - Eliminates prohibition of breed-specific
local government regulation of dangerous dogs.
House Bill 119 - Relating to Sexual Activities Involving Animals - Provides definitions;
prohibits knowing sexual conduct or sexual contact with an animal; prohibits specified
related activities; provides penalties.
House Bill 179 - Relating to Artificial Reefs - Provides legislative findings with
respect to state's artificial reef program; authorizes planning & development
of statewide matching grant program to secure & place U.S. Maritime Administration
& U.S. Navy decommissioned vessels in specified waters as artificial reefs;
provides for administration of program by FWCC; provides for implementation of program
subject to appropriations; provides objectives of program; provides for establishment
of Florida Ships-2-Reefs Program by FWCC; provides purposes of program; specifies
percentage of state matching grant; provides procedures & requirements with
respect to program; authorizes FWCC to adopt rules; provides for reports; authorizes
provision of funds under program contingent upon appropriation.
House Bill 219 - Gertrude Maxwell Save a Pet Act - Designates act "Gertrude
Maxwell Save a Pet Act"; creates direct-support organization for DACS to prevent
animal cruelty, assist pet overpopulation management, & reduce need for euthanasia
of animals; provides for organization & operation of such organization; provides
for contract & board of directors; provides for use of property, facilities,
& personal services of DACS by organization; provides restrictions; provides
for deposit of moneys; provides for annual audit; provides limits on organization;
specifies inapplicability of potentially conflicting provision of law.
House Bill 305 - Equine Activities - Designates act "Nicole Hornstein Act";
provides intent; defines "equine"; requires certain minors to wear helmets
when riding equines in certain locations; provides helmet requirements; requires
persons renting or leasing equines for riders under specified age to provide helmet
if rider does not have one; prohibits parent or guardian of minor under specified
age from authorizing or permitting minor to engage in certain conduct; provides
criminal penalties; provides exceptions.
House Bill 917 - Relating to Service Animals - Expands "service animal"
definition to include any animal being trained or being raised for training at future
date to perform tasks for disabled individual; provides that person training or
raising animal for service animal training has same rights & privileges to public
facility access & same damage liability as disabled person accompanied by service
animal; provides that such rights & privileges extend to volunteer who raises
puppies for service animal training if certain conditions are met.
House Bill 1009 - Quarter Horse Race Meetings - Removes provisions for application
to Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering for permit to conduct quarter horse race meetings;
removes provisions for granting license to conduct quarter horse racing; removes
provision for governance & control of quarter horse racing; removes requirement
for intertrack wagering to be conducted by quarter horse permitholder.
House Bill 1023 - Restraint of Dogs - Defines term "restraint that unreasonably
limits dog's movement"; prohibits leaving dog outside & unattended
by use of restraint that unreasonably limits dog's movement or when specified
severe weather warnings have been issued.

Posted by Riley at 10:12 PM 

Labels: Legislation