House File 559 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 559 BY RINKER A BILL FOR An Act relating to animal abuse, neglect, and torture, and 1 providing penalties. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2695YH (2) 91 as/js
H.F. 559 Section 1. Section 717B.2, subsections 4 and 5, Code 2025, 1 are amended to read as follows: 2 4. A person who commits animal abuse that causes serious 3 injury or death to an animal is guilty of an aggravated 4 misdemeanor a class D felony . 5 5. Notwithstanding subsection 4 , a person who commits 6 animal abuse that causes serious injury or death to an animal 7 is guilty of a class D felony if the person has previously 8 been convicted of committing animal abuse pursuant to this 9 section , animal neglect punishable as a serious misdemeanor 10 or aggravated misdemeanor pursuant to section 717B.3 , animal 11 torture pursuant to section 717B.3A , injury to or interference 12 with a police service dog pursuant to section 717B.9 , 13 bestiality pursuant to section 717C.1 , or an act involving a 14 contest event prohibited in section 717D.2 . 15 Sec. 2. Section 717B.3, subsections 5 and 6, Code 2025, are 16 amended to read as follows: 17 5. A person who commits animal neglect that causes serious 18 injury or death to an animal is guilty of an aggravated 19 misdemeanor a class D felony . 20 6. Notwithstanding subsection 5 , a person who commits 21 animal neglect that causes serious injury or death to an 22 animal is guilty of a class D felony if the person has been 23 previously convicted of animal abuse pursuant to section 24 717B.2 , animal neglect punishable as a serious misdemeanor or 25 aggravated misdemeanor pursuant to this section , animal torture 26 pursuant to section 717B.3A , injury to or interference with 27 a police service dog pursuant to section 717B.9 , bestiality 28 pursuant to section 717C.1 , or an act involving a contest event 29 prohibited in section 717D.2 . 30 Sec. 3. Section 717B.3A, subsections 4 and 5, Code 2025, are 31 amended to read as follows: 32 4. A person who commits animal torture is guilty of an 33 aggravated misdemeanor a class D felony . 34 5. Notwithstanding subsection 4 , a person who commits 35 -1- LSB 2695YH (2) 91 as/js 1/ 2
H.F. 559 animal torture is guilty of a class D felony if the person 1 has previously been convicted of committing animal abuse 2 pursuant to section 717B.2 , animal neglect punishable as a 3 serious misdemeanor or aggravated misdemeanor pursuant to 4 section 717B.3 , animal torture pursuant to this section , injury 5 to or interference with a police service dog pursuant to 6 section 717B.9 , bestiality pursuant to section 717C.1 , or an 7 act involving a contest event prohibited in section 717D.2 . 8 EXPLANATION 9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 10 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 11 This bill relates to animal abuse, neglect, and torture. 12 The bill provides that a person who commits animal abuse 13 or animal neglect that results in serious injury or death to 14 the animal, or a person who commits animal torture, is guilty 15 of a class D felony. A class D felony is punishable by 16 confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least 17 $1,025 but not more than $10,245. 18 Current law designates a first offense as an aggravated 19 misdemeanor, and a class D felony for subsequent violations. 20 -2- LSB 2695YH (2) 91 as/js 2/ 2