Thanks to Rep. Thomas Loerstcher of Iona, Idaho will remain one of four states without felony penalties for the worst cases of animal cruelty. Senate Bill 1317 was written by Sen. Tim Corder, chair of the Senate Agricultural Committee, and a large consortium of agricultural and animal welfare groups, including www.STOP.org, of which I am a board member. Three years of meetings with nearly every agricultural group in the state and a lot of effort went into this bill. SB 1317 protected all normal legal agricultural practices and ensured lawful practices such as hunting, herding, sledding, dogs, etc. It provided much-needed updates to antiquated cruelty laws.
Sen. Corder introduced the bill to the Senate, where it passed 34-1. But Loertscher refused to let the bill even be heard in the House State Affairs Committee. It is one thing for a committee or board to vote down a bill after consideration; it is arrogance and worse when our representatives refuse to let a bill even be heard, especially one that passed the Senate by such a large margin.
If you agree that Idaho needs felony penalties for the worst cases of animal cruelty, please contact your local elected representatives and tell them you support legislation such as Sen. Corder's now-dead Bill 1317.
Tori Mitchell
Boise