New York A 8462: Enacts "Penny's law" to create the offenses of negligent and reckless handling of a dog, codifies the requirement that dogs be restrained, and requires signs in parks that dogs must be restrained

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A08462 Summary:

BILL NOA08462B

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SAME ASSAME AS S08293-A

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SPONSORRajkumar

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COSPNSREpstein, Brabenec, Kay, Lucas, Angelino, Chang, Steck, Raga

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MLTSPNSRLevenberg

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Add §§123-c - 123-g, amd §123, Ag & Mkts L; add §§17-349 - 17-349-d, 14-167-a, 17-820 & 18-166, amd §§17-344,
17-345, 17-346, 17-351 & 14-182, NYC Ad Cd

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Enacts "Penny's law" to create the offenses of negligent handling of a dog and reckless handling of a dog; codifies the requirement that dogs be restrained in New York city; requires signage in parks that all dogs must be restrained.

Go to top A08462 Actions:

BILL NOA08462B

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05/16/2025referred to agriculture

05/21/2025amend and recommit to agriculture

05/21/2025print number 8462a

09/24/2025amend (t) and recommit to agriculture

09/24/2025print number 8462b

01/07/2026referred to agriculture

Go to topA08462 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA08462 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA08462 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 8462--B

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN ASSEMBLY

 May 16, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. RAJKUMAR, EPSTEIN, BRABENEC, KAY, LUCAS, ANGELI-
 NO, CHANG -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. LEVENBERG -- read once and
 referred to the Committee on Agriculture -- committee discharged, bill
 amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
 tee -- again reported from said committee with amendments, ordered
 reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to creating
 the offenses of negligent handling of a dog and reckless handling of a
 dog, and to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in
 relation to the requirement that dogs be restrained, adding additional
 offenses and penalties for negligent and reckless handling of dogs,
 and requiring signage at all parks that dogs must be restrained unless
 otherwise noted

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 2 "Penny's law".
 3 § 2. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding five new
 4 sections 123-c, 123-d, 123-e, 123-f, and 123-g to read as follows:
 5 § 123-c. Negligent handling of a dog. 1. A person is guilty of negli-
 6 gent handling of a dog if such person, on three or more occasions,
 7 violates any local law, rule, or regulation regarding the running at
 8 large of a dog outside of designated areas. Records of such violations
 9 shall run with the person handling the dog, regardless of if different
 10 dogs are involved. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, allowing
 11 multiple dogs running at large in violation of a local law, rule, or
 12 regulation at the same time shall be considered one violation.
 13 2. No provision in this section shall apply to law enforcement dogs
 14 when a leash or tether would interfere with the dog's work.
 15 Negligent handling of a dog is a violation.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD11967-12-5

 A. 8462--B 2

 1 § 123-d. Reckless handling of a dog in the third degree. 1. A person
 2 is guilty of reckless handling of a dog in the third degree if such
 3 person handling a dog allows such dog to injure a person, cat, or other
 4 dog without justification.
 5 2. The responding police officer shall provide the victim or owner of
 6 the victimized cat or dog written notice of their right to make a
 7 dangerous dog complaint pursuant to section one hundred twenty-three of
 8 this chapter.
 9 3. It shall be an affirmative defense that (a) the handler was in
 10 compliance with all local laws, rules, and regulations for restraining
 11 an animal and the handler of the injured dog or cat was not in compli-
 12 ance with such local laws, rules, and regulations; or (b) the conduct of
 13 the dog was justified under subdivision four of section one hundred
 14 twenty-three of this article.
 15 4. The handler of the attacking dog shall be liable for all medical or
 16 veterinary expenses incurred by the victim or victim-owner