The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 41 on penalties for acts of animal cruelty authored by Sen. J.D. Ford. The bill enhances the criminal penalty of animal cruelty from a Level 6 felony to a Level 5 felony. The bill was amended by consent to make the penalty for cruelty to an animal and killing a domestic animal a Level 5 felony if the animal was a cat or a dog.
The following testified in favor of the bill: three members of the public and Lucci’s House Bully Rescue. The Indiana Public Defender Council testified in opposition to the sentence enhancement. The amended bill failed 3-4.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/senate/41