SENATE BILL No. 1258

 

 

April 17, 2008, Introduced by Senators GARCIA, GLEASON and ANDERSON and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1988 PA 426, entitled

 

"An act to regulate dangerous animals; to provide for the

confinement, tattooing, or destruction of dangerous animals; and to

provide penalties for the owners or keepers of dangerous animals

that attack human beings,"

 

by amending section 3 (MCL 287.323).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 3. (1) The owner of an animal that meets the definition

 

of A person who owns an animal that he or she knows or has reason

 

to know is a dangerous animal, as defined in section 1(a), and that

 

animal causes the death of a person, is guilty of involuntary

 

manslaughter, punishable under section 321 of the Michigan penal

 

code, Act No. 328 of the Public Acts of 1931, being section 750.321

 

of the Michigan Compiled Laws a felony punishable by imprisonment

 

for not more than 15 years or a fine of not less than $5,000.00 or

 

more than $7,500.00, or both.


 

     (2) If an animal that meets the definition of A person who

 

owns an animal that he or she knows or has reason to know is a

 

dangerous animal, as defined in section 1(a), and that animal

 

attacks a person and causes serious injury other than death, the

 

owner of the animal is guilty of a felony , punishable by

 

imprisonment 1 or more of the following:

 

     (a) Imprisonment for not more than 4 years. , a

 

     (b) A fine of not less than $2,000.00 , or community or more

 

than $5,000.00.

 

     (c) Community service work for not less than 500 hours. , or

 

any combination of these penalties.

 

     (3) If an animal previously adjudicated to be A person who

 

owns an animal that he or she knows or has reason to know is a

 

dangerous animal, as defined in section 1(a), and that animal

 

attacks or bites a person and causes an injury that is not a

 

serious injury, the owner of the animal is guilty of a misdemeanor

 

, punishable by imprisonment 1 or more of the following:

 

     (a) Imprisonment for not more than 90 93 days. , a

 

     (b) A fine of not less than $250.00 nor more than $500.00, or

 

community $2,000.00.

 

     (c) Community service work for not less than 240 360 hours. ,

 

or any combination of these penalties.

 

     (4) If the owner of an animal that is previously adjudicated

 

to be A person who owns an animal that he or she knows or has

 

reason to know is a dangerous animal, as defined in section 1(a),

 

and who allows the animal to run at large, the owner is guilty of a

 

misdemeanor , punishable by imprisonment 1 or more of the


 

following:

 

     (a) Imprisonment for not more than 90 93 days. , a

 

     (b) A fine of not less than $250.00 nor more than $500.00, or

 

community $2,000.00.

 

     (c) Community service work for not less than 240 360 hours. ,

 

or any combination of these penalties.

 

     (5) If a person is convicted of a second or subsequent

 

violation of subsection (3) or (4), that person may be charged with

 

a felony punishable by 1 or more of the following:

 

     (a) Imprisonment for not more than 4 years.

 

     (b) A fine of not less than $2,000.00 or more than $5,000.00.

 

     (c) Community service work for not less than 500 hours.

 

     (6) As part of a sentence for a violation of subsection (1),

 

(2), (3), or (4), the court may, as a condition of probation, order

 

the person not to own or possess an animal for a period of time not

 

to exceed the period of probation. If a person is convicted of a

 

second or subsequent violation of subsection (1), (2), (3), or (4),

 

a court may order the person not to own or possess an animal for

 

any period of time, which may include permanent relinquishment of

 

animal ownership.

 

     (7) (5) The court may order a person convicted under this

 

section to pay the costs of the prosecution.