Bill Text: NJ S869 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Waives certain adoption fees for veterans.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-18 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S869 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-S869-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES W. HOLZAPFEL
District 10 (Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Waives certain pet adoption fees for veterans.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning pet adoption fees for veterans and supplementing P.L.1941 c.151 (4:19-15.1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. No kennel, shelter, or pound that is owned and operated by a local government unit, shall charge a fee to a veteran to adopt a dog or cat.
b. The Secretary of Agriculture shall prescribe, by rule or regulation, the types of evidence that may be used to qualify a person for the benefit established pursuant to this section.
c. The owner or operator of a kennel, shelter, or pound may review adoption fees and, if appropriate, adjust adoption fees to offset any revenue losses associated with the waiver of the adoption fee for veterans pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
d. As used in this section:
"Adoption fee" or "fee" means any costs related to a veterinary wellness visit and exam, spaying or neutering, distemper vaccination, bordetella vaccination, rabies vaccination, deworming medication, flea and tick treatment, canine heartworm test, feline leukemia test, spay and neuter surgery, follow-up examination, collar and an identification tag, and administrative charges.
"Kennel " means a kennel as defined in section 1 of P.L.1941, c.151 (C.4:19-15.1).
"Pound" means a pound as defined in section 1 of P.L.1941, c.151 (C.4:19-15.1).
"Shelter" means a shelter as defined in section 1 of P.L.1941, c.151 (C.4:19-15.1).
"Veteran" means any resident of the State who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active military service in any of the Armed Forces of the United States, or a reserve component thereof; any honorably discharged member of the American Merchant Marine who served during World War II and is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits; and any officer, soldier, sailor, marine, airman, nurse or army field clerk, who has served in the active military or naval service of the United States and has or shall be discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would provide that a veteran may adopt a dog or cat without paying an adoption fee from a licensed kennel, shelter, or pound that is owned and operated by a local government unit.
The bill authorizes the owner or operator of a kennel, shelter, or pound to review and adjust the adoption fee to offset any revenue losses associated with the waiver of the adoption fee for veterans.
