HB 1576-FN-LOCAL - AS INTRODUCED
2016 SESSION
\t16-2503
\t08/10
HOUSE BILL\t1576-FN-LOCAL
AN ACT\trepealing the licensure of dogs.
SPONSORS:\tRep. Hull, Graf. 9; Rep. Sylvia, Belk. 6; Rep. Aldrich, Belk. 2; Rep. Ammon, Hills. 40
COMMITTEE:\tMunicipal and County Government
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ANALYSIS
\tThis bill repeals the requirement that dogs be licensed by the municipality in which their owners reside, and the authority to license cats.
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Explanation:\tMatter added to current law appears in bold italics.
\t\tMatter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
\t\tMatter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
\t16-2503
\t08/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen
AN ACT\trepealing the licensure of dogs.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
\t1 Licensure Requirement Removed. Amend RSA 466:42-b to read as follows:
\t466:42-b Civil Recovery. Whoever wrongfully kills or maims, entices or carries away a [licensed] dog shall be liable to its owner for its value in a civil proceeding.
\t2 Licensure Requirement Removed. Amend RSA 466:48 to read as follows:
\t466:48 Registration. [In addition to the dog license required by RSA 466:4,] No guard dog shall be used in any city or town without prior approval of the local law enforcement authority and appropriate registration with that authority.
\t3 Repeal. The following are repealed:
\t\tI. RSA 466:1 through RSA 466:18-a, relative to the licensure of dogs and authority to license cats.
\t\tII. RSA 466:32, relative to the compensation of certain officers from the licensure of dogs.
\t\tIII. RSA 466:39, relative to bylaws on licensure of dogs.
\t\tIV. RSA 466:47, relative to the licensure of guard dogs.
\t\tV. RSA 466:50, IV, relative to guard dogs.
\t4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t16-2503
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t11/30/15
HB 1576-FN-LOCAL- FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT\trepealing the licensure of dogs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food and New Hampshire Municipal Association state this bill, as introduced, will have an indeterminable fiscal impact on state and local revenue and expenditures in FY 2017 and in each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county revenue or expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food states this bill repeals various statutes relative to the licensing of dogs and cats. The Department assumes, due to lack of funding, the state Animal Population Control Program (APCP) established in RSA 437-A would be discontinued along with one program assistant position. The program has an annual budget of approximately $335,000 which is funded in excess of 99% by annual license fees. The Department makes the following assumptions concerning the fiscal impact if this bill:
The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill repeals the requirement that all dogs be licensed and repeals the authority of municipalities to require the licensing of cats. The Association states dog and cat licenses are subject to a fee of $4.50 or $7 depending on the age of the animal and whether it has been spayed or neutered. The fee is $2 if the owner is 65 years of age or older. The Association states a portion of the fee is retained by the municipality thus this bill would result in a significant loss of municipal revenue. The Association indicates it does not have information on the amount of revenue collected by the municipalities and cannot estimate the effect on municipal revenue.