SB1251

THE CONTEXT: Every city and town's legislative body must adopt a comprehensive general plan that includes goals, policies and land use and circulation elements ( A. R.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would prohibit a city, town or county from enacting any ordinance, resolution or policy that prohibits or unduly restricts a person from using a working animal in lawful commerce for an animal enterprise, exempt the following from this prohibition: a) municipal or county zoning ordinances; b) municipal or county ordinances or resolutions enacted relating to public health, public safety, noise or animal cruelty; or c) any other state law relating to animal care, animal cruelty, noise, public health or public safety, and define animal enterprise as a rodeo or any agricultural activities conducted on any facility to produce crops, livestock, poultry, livestock products or poultry products or for agritourism.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to set a clear legal boundary for working animals instead of leaving the conduct unaddressed. It would prohibit a city, town or county from enacting any ordinance, resolution or policy that prohibits or unduly restricts a person from using a working animal in lawful commerce for an animal enterprise, and would also exempt the following from this prohibition: a) municipal or county zoning ordinances; b) municipal or county ordinances or resolutions enacted relating to public health, public safety, noise or animal cruelty; or c) any other state law relating to animal care, animal cruelty, noise, public health or public safety, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.