EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDE D TO EXISTING LAW .
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0089*
HOUSE BILL 89
E2 5lr0999
HB 667/24 – JUD (PRE–FILED) CF SB 152
By: Delegate Embry
Requested: September 29, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Crimes Relating to Animals – Conviction and Sentencing 2
FOR the purpose of establishing that certain crimes relating to animals do not apply to 3
certain activities; establishing that each animal harmed in a violation of a 4
prohibition against animal cruelty is a separate offense and shall be deemed an 5
individual victim for purposes of the sentencing guidelines stacking rule; 6
establishing that a conviction for a crime relating to animals may not merge with a 7
conviction for any other crime based on the act establishing the violation and that a 8
sentence imposed may be separate from and consecutive to or concurrent with a 9
sentence based on the act establishing a violation; and generally relating to crimes 10
relating to animals. 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Criminal Law 13
Section 10–603 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Criminal Law 18
Section 10–627 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 21
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 22
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 23
Article – Criminal Law 24
10–603. 25 2 HOUSE BILL 89
Sections 10–601 through 10–608 and 10–626 of this subtitle do not apply to: 1
(1) customary and normal veterinary and agricultural husbandry practices 2
including dehorning, castration, tail docking, and limit feeding; 3
(2) research conducted in accordance with protocols approved by an animal 4
care and use committee, as required under the federal Animal Welfare Act or the federal 5
Health Research Extension Act; 6
(3) an activity that may cause unavoidable physical pain to an animal[, 7
including food processing, pest elimination, animal training, and hunting,] if the person 8
performing the activity uses the most humane method reasonably available, INCLUDING: 9
(I) FOOD PROCESSING ; 10
(II) PEST ELIMINATION ; 11
(III) ANIMAL TRAINING ; AND 12
(IV) ANY HUNTING OR FISHI NG ACTIVITY COMPLETED IN 13
ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE 4 OR TITLE 10 OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ARTICLE 14
OR ANY REGULATIONS A DOPTED UNDER THOSE T ITLES; or 15
(4) normal human activities in which the infliction of pain to an animal is 16
purely incidental and unavoidable. 17
10–627. 18
(A) FOR THE PURPOSES OF T HIS SUBTITLE, EACH ANIMAL HARMED I N A 19
VIOLATION OF THIS SU BTITLE IS A SEPARATE OFFENSE AND SHALL BE DEEMED AN 20
INDIVIDUAL VICTIM FO R PURPOSES OF THE SE NTENCING GUIDELINES STACKING 21
RULE. 22
(B) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER LAW, A CONVICTION UNDER THI S 23
SUBTITLE MAY NOT MER GE WITH A CONVICTION FOR ANY OTHER CRIME BASED ON 24
THE ACT ESTABLISHING THE VIOLATION OF THI S SUBTITLE. 25
(C) A SENTENCE IMPOSED UND ER THIS SUBTITLE MAY BE SEPARATE FROM 26
AND CONSECUTIVE TO O R CONCURRENT WITH A SENTENCE FOR ANY CRIME BA SED 27
ON THE ACT ESTABLISH ING THE VIOLATION OF THIS SUBTITLE. 28
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 29
October 1, 2025. 30