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SPONSOR: |
Godbey |
DATE TYPED: |
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HB |
559 |
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SHORT TITLE: |
Prohibit Cockfighting |
SB |
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ANALYST: |
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APPROPRIATION
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
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FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
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Indeterminate |
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Relates
to Senate Bill 64
Responses
Received From
Children,
Youth & Families Department (CYFD)
Game
& Fish Department (GFD)
Livestock
Board (LB)
Attorney
General’s Office (AGO)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
House Bill 559 deletes
the cockfighting exemption from the cruelty to animals statute and makes causing, sponsoring, arranging, holding
or participating in cockfighting a fourth degree felony.
Significant
Issues
· Animal rights groups state that cockfighting perpetuates violence in our communities. There is an undeniable link between cruelty to animals and violence toward humans.
·
Intentional cruelty to animals and dog fighting
are currently felonies in
· Cocks are creatures who do not have the capacity to consent to engage in the self-destructive behavior of fighting.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
There are significant
law enforcement and court costs associated with cockfighting since these events
tend to lead to or involve illegal activities such as gambling and abuse of
alcohol.
HB 559 has the same intent as SB 64, but the
wording in the two bills is different.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
Cockfighting is banned
in every state except
Many New Mexicans
believe that allowing animals to fight is cruel. Animal Protection of New Mexico has a poll
that shows that 81% of New Mexicans support a ban on cockfighting.