Animal Teasing (H 6043, S 779)

Nothing encapsulated the issue of the “statehouse to prison pipeline” better in the 2018 session than the general assembly’s passage of legislation which would punish by up to a year in prison any person who “maliciously teases” a police horse or canine.

The ACLU has issued reports within the last few years documenting the “statehouse to prison pipeline,” the never-ending enactment of laws that unnecessarily creates new crimes and increases sentences for current offenses. Nothing encapsulates this issue better this year than the general assembly’s passage of this legislation which would punish by up to a year in prison any person who “maliciously teases” a police horse or canine. We noted that this legislation could have a significant and adverse effect on adolescent populations and populations with mental health issues. Despite our testimony, the bill was favorably voted on in both the House and the Senate and signed into law.