The New York Legislature has officially adjourned its session for the year. Although it may return at some point this year, nothing has yet been officially announced.
AKC is pleased to report that Senate Bill 4993/ Assembly Bill 6244 allowing dogs in state parks was passed in the final days of session and will be transmitted to the governor in the coming weeks.
We were pleased to support this bill, which came about from a grassroots effort by local dog owners and clubs on Long Island, including the organization LI-Dogs. This legislation will allow responsible dog owners to bring their dogs to New York State parks, while still providing reasonable restrictions to protect public health and enjoyment for all park visitors. Read AKC’s previous alert for more information. AKC thanks all those who contacted their lawmakers in support of this legislation.
No other significant bills impacting dogs and dog owners was passed this session. This includes A. 3569, which would ban debarking in the state. While the companion bill did pass the Senate, the measure still remains in the Assembly Rules Committee. AKC will closely monitor the bills for any activity should the legislature go back into session this year.
Unfortunately, S. 7416/A.6867, which would protect renters from breed discrimination in insurance, did not receive the final necessary vote before the end of session. AKC looks forward to continuing to support this legislation in future sessions.
AKC continues to closely monitor activity in New York and will provide updates when available. For questions or more information, contact AKC Government Relations at doglaw@akc.org.