I kid you not. The state is drowning in debt. Medicaid providers are going out of business because the state is so slow paying it's bills. Money is borrowed from pension funds and special funds to pay for day to day operations of government. The governor wants to sell the lottery to raise money to fund education.....And the General Assembly has time to pass a law saying convicted felons can't own dogs larger then 30 pounds in weight.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...E637016831A8A0E98625718000139D23?OpenDocument
Here is the actual law:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ful...=50&GA=94&DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=2946&print=true
I can't wait to make my first felon in possession of a dog arrest....
Jeff
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...E637016831A8A0E98625718000139D23?OpenDocument
Illinois measures crack down on owners of dangerous dogs
By Kevin McDermott
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU
06/01/2006
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.
The dogs had their day in Springfield Wednesday, as Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed three laws restricting how the animals are treated and used.
One of the measures makes Illinois the first state in the nation to specifically address the use of dogs as weapons by criminals. It prohibits convicted felons from owning dogs for 10 years after completing their sentences, unless the dogs have been spayed or neutered. The rationale is that neutered dogs are less likely to be dangerous.
"We . . . became aware of the problem of drug manufacturers keeping dangerous dogs in order to have those dogs attack law enforcement officers as they perform their duties," state Sen. William Haine, D-Alton, a co-sponsor of the measure, said in a written statement. "This bill will give law enforcement and prosecutors another tool to fight these criminals."
Blagojevich also signed a bill increasing penalties for dog owners who fail to control their pets, resulting in death or serious injury to a person. That offense could net a five-year prison term under the new law. Another measure, signed Wednesday, increases various penalties for dog fighting.
The law increasing penalties for dog attacks, HB4238, goes into effect immediately. The laws restricting ownership of dogs by felons, and increasing penalties for dog fighting - HB2946 and HB4711, respectively - go into effect Jan. 1
[email protected] 217-782-4912
Here is the actual law:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ful...=50&GA=94&DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=2946&print=true
HB2946 Enrolled LRB094 05402 RLC 35447 b
1 AN ACT concerning criminal law.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Criminal Code of 1961 is amended by adding
5 Section 12-36 as follows:
6 (720 ILCS 5/12-36 new)
7 Sec. 12-36. Possession of certain dogs by felons
8 prohibited.
9 (a) For a period of 10 years commencing upon the release of
10 a person from incarceration, it is unlawful for a person
11 convicted of a forcible felony, a felony violation of the
12 Humane Care for Animals Act, a felony violation of Article 24
13 of the Criminal Code of 1961, a felony violation of Class 3 or
14 higher of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, a felony
15 violation of Class 3 or higher of the Cannabis Control Act, or
16 a felony violation of Class 2 or higher of the Methamphetamine
17 Control and Community Protection Act, to knowingly own,
18 possess, have custody of, or reside in a residence with,
19 either:
20 (1) an unspayed or unneutered dog or puppy older than
21 12 weeks of age; or
22 (2) irrespective of whether the dog has been spayed or
23 neutered, any dog that has been determined to be a vicious
24 dog under Section 15 of the Animal Control Act.
25 (b) Any dog owned, possessed by, or in the custody of a
26 person convicted of a felony, as described in subsection (a),
27 must be microchipped for permanent identification.
28 (c) Sentence. A person who violates this Section is guilty
29 of a Class A misdemeanor.
30 (d) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this
31 Section that the dog in question is neutered or spayed, or that
32 the dog in question was neutered or spayed within 7 days of the
HB2946 Enrolled - 2 - LRB094 05402 RLC 35447 b
1 defendant being charged with a violation of this Section.
2 Medical records from, or the certificate of, a doctor of
3 veterinary medicine licensed to practice in the State of
4 Illinois who has personally examined or operated upon the dog,
5 unambiguously indicating whether the dog in question has been
6 spayed or neutered, shall be prima facie true and correct, and
7 shall be sufficient evidence of whether the dog in question has
8 been spayed or neutered. This subsection (d) is not applicable
9 to any dog that has been determined to be a vicious dog under
10 Section 15 of the Animal Control Act.
I can't wait to make my first felon in possession of a dog arrest....
Jeff