ASSEMBLY, No. 213

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  KEVIN J. ROONEY

District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Enhances penalty for failure to stop and report hitting, running over, or injuring of certain animals with motor vehicle where animal is killed.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

  


An Act concerning hitting, running over, or injuring certain animals with a motor vehicle, and amending P.L.1939, c.315.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.  Section 1 of P.L.1939, c.315 (C.4:22-25.1) is amended to read as follows:

     1.    [Each] A person operating a motor vehicle who shall knowingly hit, run over, or cause injury to a cat, dog, horse, or cattle shall stop at once, ascertain the extent of injury, and report the incident, the name, address, and driver’s license number of the person operating the motor vehicle, the registration number of the motor vehicle, and the location of the injured animal to the nearest police station, police officer, municipal humane law enforcement officer, chief humane law enforcement officer, or humane law enforcement officer of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals[ , and give his name, address, operator's license and registration number, and also give the location of the injured animal].

(cf: P.L.2017, c.331, s.12)

 

     2.    Section 2 of P.L.1939, c.315 (C.4:22-25.2) is amended to read as follows:

     2.    Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of section 1 of P.L.1939, c.315 (C.4:22-25.1) shall be guilty of a petty disorderly persons offense, provided that the cat, dog, horse, or cattle hit, run over, or injured by the motor vehicle is not killed.  If a person violates the provisions of section 1 of P.L.1939, c.315 (C.4:22-25.1) and the cat, dog, horse, or cattle dies, the person shall be guilty of a disorderly persons offense.

(cf: P.L.1995, c.355, s.7)

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     Under current law, section 1 of P.L.1939, c.315 (C.4:22-25.1) provides that a person operating a motor vehicle who knowingly hits, runs over, or causes injury to a cat, dog, horse, or cattle is required to stop and report certain information.  Failure to do so is a petty disorderly persons offense.

     This bill clarifies that a person operating a motor vehicle who knowingly hits, runs over, or causes injury to a cat, dog, horse, or cattle shall stop at once, ascertain the extent of injury, and report the incident, the name, address, and driver’s license number of the person operating the motor vehicle, the registration number of the motor vehicle, and the location of the injured animal to the nearest police station, police officer, municipal humane law enforcement officer, chief humane law enforcement officer, or humane law enforcement officer of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. If the person fails to stop and make the required report, the person would be guilty of a petty disorderly persons offense as provided under current law.  The bill increases the level of criminal offense for a violation of section 1 of P.L.1939, c.315 (C.4:22-25.1) to a disorderly persons offense if the cat, dog, horse, or cattle that is hit, run over, or injured by the motor vehicle dies.

     A petty disorderly persons offense is punishable by up to 30 days imprisonment, up to a $500 fine, or both. A disorderly persons offense is punishable by up to six months imprisonment, up to a $1,000 fine, or both.