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Legislative Report
By Joan Tabor
New Jersey State Legislation
NJ S1718
Sponsored by:
Senator (and Newark Mayor) Sharpe James
District 29 (Newark)
50 Park Place, suite 1535
Newark, NJ 07102
973-622-0007
E-mail:
senjames@njleg.org
Introduced: 6/17/2004
S1718, The Responsible Pit Bull Licensing Act
The pit bull classification
includes American Pit Bull Terriers, American
Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull
Terriers, Staffordshire Terriers, and any dog determined
to be a pit bull type. Provisions of the bill require
owners to:
- Pay licensing fees of up to
$700
- Obtain hard to get liability
insurance
- Muzzle dogs when off premises
- Prove that their dog is NOT a
Pit Bull or Pit Bull mix
Violators will be subject to a fine of up to $1000 a
day. This bill is the identical bill to the bill that
Assemblyman Burzichelli sponsored in last years’
Assembly and was subsequently withdrawn.
The NJ
Federation supports the New Jersey State Vicious and
Potentially Dangerous Dog Act, part of the New Jersey
Statutes, which provides that if a is dog found to be
dangerous, it must be based upon its behavior and not
upon its breed. The New Jersey Statutes would have to
be amended first, before any breed specific law could be
passed. Senator James’ Bill 1718, is in violation of
this law.
The NJ
Federation urges its members to call Senator James’
office, e-mail, or write him a letter. This bill, which
does not have a co-sponsor at the present time, has been
referred to the Senate Economic Growth Committee.
Members of the Committee include:
Senator
Martha Bark: 3000 Midlantic Dr., Suite 103, Mount
Laurel, NJ 08054
Tel.: (856)- 234-8080 E-mail:
senbark@njleg.org
Senator
Joseph V. Doria: Bayonne Muncipal Bldg., 630 Avenue “C”,
Bayonne, NJ 07002
E-mail:
sendoria@njleg.org or
mayor@bayonnenj.org
Senator
Joseph Kyrillos: One Arin Park Bldg., Ste. 303, 1715
Hwy. 35, Middletown, NJ
Tel: (732)-671-3206. E-mail:
senkyrillos@njleg.org
*Senator
Raymond Lesniak (Chairman): 985 Stuyvesant Ave., Union,
NJ 07083
Tel.: (908)- 624- 0880. E-mail:
senlesniak@njleg.org
Senator
Joseph Vitale: 87 Main St., Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Tel.: (732)-855-7441. E-mail:
senvitale@njleg.org
*Senator
Lesniak has the power to kill this bill !
Federal Legislation
This
summer, a California Bill that would have banned the
practice of ear cropping for dogs, came close to
becoming a law. Fanciers from all over the US worked
endless hours in an effort to kill SB1548. There are
rumors currently being circulated that the ear cropping
ban may be added again in the Senate. Groups are still
being urged to treat this as though it is a sure thing.
Remember that it could happen in New Jersey.
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