HCSHB296--PROHIBITIONAGAINSTBREED-SPECIFICLEGISLATION
SPONSOR: Haden
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonLocalGovernmentbyavoteof11to1.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
296.
ThebillspecifiesthattheGeneralAssemblyoccupiesandpreempts
theentirefieldoflegislationregardinginanywaythecontrolor
regulationofspecificbreedsofdogs.However,avillage,town,
city,orcountycanstillprohibitdogsfromrunningatlarge,
prohibitviciousdogs,ortofurthercontrolorregulatedogs
withinitsboundariessolongastheordinance,order,policy,or
regulationisnotbreedspecific. Thereisagrandfatherclause
foranyvillage,town,city,orcountywithanexistingbreed-
specificorder,ordinance,policy,orregulationineffectonor
beforeAugust28,2023.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthereisnowaytoenforcesucha
regulation. Howdoyoudetermineifthedoginquestionis
actuallyapitbull? Citiesknowwhoownspitbullsandthistypeof
ordinancecouldsimplybeawaytoforcethosepeopleoutofthe
city.Itshoulddependonthedeed,notthebreed.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Haden;Humane
SocietyoftheUnitedStates;ArnieC.Dienoff;ASPCA;JulieBraun,
MissouriVeterinaryMedicalAssociation;MissouriFederationof
AnimalOwners,andtheSho-MeStateAmericanPitbullTerrierClub.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthestateshouldnot
interferewithlocalcontrol.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereMunicipalLeagueMetro
STL;MissouriMunicipalLeague;andtheCityofSpringfield.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1588(2022).
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.