TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — The House of Representatives enacted favor of House Bill 1792which, to name a few things, would reduce the optimum fine for dogfighting from $25,000 to $500.
The expense itself is a 141-page criminal justice reform expense to reclassify charges for criminal offenses in Oklahoma. It does not consist of any reference of prison time, just fines.
“Dogfighting would have the same fine as avoiding a roadblock,” said Leighann Lassiter, director of Animal Cruelty Policy at the Humane Society.
The bill changes several offenses from violent to non-violent and reduces fines for several crimes, including cockfighting, animal sexual abuse, animal cruelty, and dog fighting.
“The ultimate goal is to again bring Oklahoma into the 21st century and, you know, and give us a sentencing guideline that comes in the form of a matrix,” Representative Mike Osburn said.
“Violent crime, money laundering, narcotics traffic, illegal gambling – why would any lawmaker in the 21st century want to enable that?” said President of Animal Wellness Action Wayne Pacelle.
Advocates are concerned lowering fines in any capacity will give a green light to animal fighters.
“A $500 fine versus a $50,000 pot at the end of the night, that’s pennies for these guys,” Lassiter said.
“There are good reasons why the fines are strong and the jail time is lengthy, and so for that to just be wiped away in the interest of criminal justice reform is absurd and very wrongheaded,” said Oklahoma State Director at the Humane Society Cynthia Armstrong.
NewsChannel 8 asked Osburn for a response to animal cruelty advocates and Oklahoma possibly becoming the only state in the nation to go back on animal cruelty laws with HB 1792 when it was already one of the only states without a sentencing matrix.
“We have no intention of reducing any penalties on animal cruelty or anything like that,” Osburn said. “I don’t really know where they came up with, with the idea that we were doing that because there’s literally absolutely no intention on anybody’s part to reduce anything on those things.”
Animal cruelty supporters said this expense might have a nationwide effect.
“There are both dog fighters and cock fighters that are watching Oklahoma and very closely saying that they can’t wait to do the same thing in their state, that people are moving to Oklahoma,” Lassiter said. “‘If you reduce these penalties, we’re moving our operations Oklahoma.’”
“That’s not what Oklahoma desires. Oklahoma has actually been attempting to draw in business, you understand, vehicle makers and other makers and high tech. What type of preconception is it?” Pacelle said.
Osburn informed News Channel 8 that some language in the expense is a placeholder and is still an operate in development.
But even with the present language, the expense travelled through the House and is waiting to be heard in the Senate.
