0001|                          HOUSE MEMORIAL 23
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                             GARY K. KING
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                              A MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE
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0012|     NEED TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.
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0013|     
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0014|          WHEREAS, animals provide important companionship for and
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0015|     add richness to the lives of many New Mexicans; and
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0016|          WHEREAS, many New Mexicans rely on animals to provide a
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0017|     livelihood for them; and
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0018|          WHEREAS, research and experience tell us that animals are
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0019|     capable of feeling physical and psychological pain and
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0020|     suffering; and
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0021|          WHEREAS, sociologists tell us that the abuse of animals
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0022|     and the abuse of humans are connected and that those who abuse
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0023|     animals are more likely than others to abuse people; and
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0024|          WHEREAS, most violent criminals have histories of abusing
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0025|     animals prior to committing crimes against humans; and
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0001|          WHEREAS, the state should intervene immediately in animal
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0002|     abuse cases to prevent a pattern that could lead to crimes
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0003|     against humans; and
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0004|          WHEREAS, animals are frequently willfully or maliciously
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0005|     tortured, mutilated, injured, poisoned or cruelly killed in
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0006|     New Mexico; 
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0007|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF
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0008|     REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the
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0009|     appropriate legislative interim committee be requested to
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0010|     study the issue, including the need to classify cruelty to
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0011|     animals as a felony offense; and
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0012|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee report its
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0013|     findings and recommendations to the first session of the
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0014|     forty-fourth legislature; and
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0015|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be
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0016|     transmitted to the legislative council for assignment to the
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0017|     appropriate interim committee.
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0018|                                  
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0019|     
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0020|          
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