Task Force for Humane Treatment of Animals in Municipal and Regional Shelters

P.A. 14-205, Sec. 3. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to study the humane treatment of animals in municipal and regional shelters and other matters concerning the operation of such municipal and regional shelters. The task force shall consider: (1) Recommendations for the establishment of standards for the humane treatment of animals in such shelters; (2) existing education and training standards for animal control officers on current license laws; (3) rules and regulations regarding and penalties for abuse; (4) the development of a system to track persons who have been convicted of animal abuse in order to prevent such persons from acquiring animals from shelters in other municipalities or states; (5) the establishment of standards for such shelters to use when evaluating potential adopters for such animals; (6) the establishment of rules and responsibilities for volunteer groups that work with such shelters and animal control officers; and (7) the creation of a framework to coordinate the efforts of local humane organizations with volunteer groups, foster groups and municipal and regional animal shelters.

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(b) In addition to the Commissioner of Agriculture or the commissioner's designee, the task force shall consist of the following members: (1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a member of a local animal welfare advocacy organization and one whom shall be a sworn officer of a municipal police department; (2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be an animal control officer and one who shall be a representative of the judicial branch; (3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a chief elected official from a town with a population of more than twenty-five thousand persons; (4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be a licensed veterinarian; (5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a person who volunteers to work with municipal animal shelters and animal control officers; and (6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be a chief elected official from a town with a population of twenty-five thousand persons or less. (c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly. (d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. (e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. (f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to local governments shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. (g) Not later than January 1, 2015, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to local governments and the environment, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2015, whichever is later.

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(b) In addition to the Commissioner of Agriculture or the commissioner's designee, the task force shall consist of the following members: (1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a member of a local animal welfare advocacy organization and one whom shall be a sworn officer of a municipal police department; (2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be an animal control officer and one who shall be a representative of the judicial branch; (3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a chief elected official from a town with a population of more than twenty-five thousand persons; (4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be a licensed veterinarian; (5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a person who volunteers to work with municipal animal shelters and animal control officers; and (6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be a chief elected official from a town with a population of twenty-five thousand persons or less. (c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly. (d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. (e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section. (f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to local governments shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. (g) Not later than January 1, 2015, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to local governments and the environment, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2015, whichever is later.