Animal cruelty, gambling, wildlife bills become law

CARSON CITY -- Cooney's bill became "Cooney's Law" on Friday when Gov. Brian Sandoval signed into law legislation that makes it a felony to unjustifiably mutilate, torture, maim or kill animals.

Senate Bill 223 was one of 37 bills that the governor signed into law.

Cooney's Law is named after a 3-year-old Reno beagle that was killed last October when her owner cut her stomach open, thinking that a mouse crawled inside the dog. The owner was charged with a misdemeanor under the law in effect at the time.

Sandoval, an animal lover who owns four dogs, two cats, two frogs and a turtle, also signed Senate Bill 299, which cracks down on puppy mills.

Under Cooney's Law, sponsored by Sen. Shirley Breeden, D-Henderson, Nevada joins 44 other states that make extreme animal cruelty a felony, punishable by at least a year in prison. The new law applies in cases involving cats, dogs or any animal kept by a person for companionship or pleasure.

During hearings, police testified they did not think more than a few animal cruelty cases a year would be prosecuted as felonies.

Longer sentences are authorized if pets are harmed as part of a move to threaten, intimidate or terrorize their owners.

Sandoval approved the "puppy mill" bill sponsored by Sen. Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas.

It orders counties to pass ordinances requiring animal breeders to obtain permits and authorizes animal control officers to inspect the premises of animal breeders at any reasonable hour. It also prohibits the breeding of female dogs younger than 18 months and requires breeders to place registered microchips in the ears of cats and dogs and for all animals to have required rabies vaccinations before they are sold.

More than half of the Republicans in the Legislature voted against the two animal bills.

Other bills signed

■ AB117 allows school districts to reduce the number of days in the school year for "economic hardship" situations. Students still must receive 180 days of instruction. Only "non-instructional days," when teachers receive training, may be reduced.

■ SB257 allows people whose property has been defaced by graffiti to sue the parents of minors who committed the crime for triple damages. Children who place graffiti on others' property can be ordered to perform community service and to clean up the property they have damaged. The new law also makes it a felony to deface "protected sites," such as historic buildings or archaeological sites. It was sponsored by Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas.

■ AB202 allows a 25 percent to 35 percent reduction in property taxes for one year to new manufacturing companies that restore or renovate buildings to standards that reduce energy use. It was sponsored by Assemblyman Kelvin Atkinson, D-North Las Vegas.

■ AB258 requires the Nevada Gaming Commission to adopt regulations for interactive or Internet gaming. The regulations would not go into effect, nor will any companies be licensed for Internet gaming, until it is legalized by the federal government. The law is a watered-down version of an online poker bill initially considered by legislators but amended after the Department of Justice indicted PokerStars and other online poker companies.

■ AB265 specifies the pay of police officers may not be suspended during investigations and spells out how they will be treated during investigations. Most Republicans opposed the bill.

■ AB377 gives the secretary of state's office subpoena power to request documents in investigations of possible election law violations.

■ SB233 establishes the Office of Grant Procurement, which will try to secure more federal grants and gifts for Nevada. Studies show Nevada consistently ranks at or near the bottom of the return it receives back from the federal government compared with federal taxes paid by its residents. It was sponsored by Sen. David Parks, D-Las Vegas.

■ AB328 requires drivers be charged with reckless driving if they are at fault in accidents involving bicycles, pedestrians and in crosswalks or with school crossing guards.

■ AB384 prohibits train engineers from ringing bells or blowing whistles in areas designated as quiet zones under federal regulations.

■ AB311 gives the governor the authority to appoint the director of the Wildlife Department. It was spawned by Gov. Jim Gibbons' decision to fire Wildlife Director Ken Mayer just before Sandoval took office. Under the old law, the Wildlife Commission, which had feuded with Mayer, appointed the director.

To get around that law, Sandoval named Mayer as "acting director," pending passage of the bill, which now gives him power to name him as the permanent director.

Contact reporter Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.