Increasing the cost of service for notice of civil forfeiture of unlicensed dogs to the rate for certified mail.
This bill is expected to have a financial impact on local governments, as it allows for an increase in revenue generated from the service of civil forfeiture notices. The fiscal note associated with the bill indicates that while exact revenue increases cannot be determined, the change aims to adequately compensate municipalities for the costs incurred during the notification process. Local governing bodies are authorized to recover these costs, thus potentially alleviating some financial burdens on local services.
House Bill 86 (HB86) proposes to raise the cost of service for the notice of civil forfeiture related to unlicensed dogs to align with the rates for certified mail. Currently, the notice cost is set at $7, which will be increased to the certified mail rate, currently up to $8.95, or $10 for hand delivery. This change aims to ensure that local governments can recover the costs associated with serving notices to dog owners who fail to license their pets, potentially providing additional revenue for municipalities.
The sentiment surrounding HB86 appears to be generally neutral to positive among local government officials who see this as a method to better fund municipal operations related to animal control. However, there may be pushback from pet owners who could view the increase in costs as burdensome. Since the bill focuses on compliance and enforcement, sentiment may vary across different community segments, depending on their views on unlicensed pets and civil compliance.
One notable point of contention might arise from discussions about the implications of increasing fees for pet owners, particularly those who may already be struggling with the financial burden of pet ownership. Critics may argue that raising costs could disproportionately affect lower-income pet owners, making it more difficult for them to comply with licensing laws. Moreover, enforcement issues can also be raised, such as how effectively municipalities will carry out and manage the increased notifications and possible subsequent forfeiture actions related to unlicensed dogs.