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Minutes for HB2437 - Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Short Title
Updating certain terms, requirements and fees contained in the Kansas pet animal act.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 22, 2023
Chair Rahjes opened the hearing on HB2437. Kyle Hamilton provide an overview of the Kansas Pet Animal Act (Attachment 9) and a briefing on HB2437.(Attachment 10) He stood for preliminary questions.
Mike Beam, Secretary, Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) stated that the original Kansas Pet Animal Act was adopted by the Kansas Legislature in 1988, partially in response to the negative perception of Kansas pet breeders at the time. There have been many changes in the industry since then including the fact that pet ownership has experienced unprecedented growth and that pet industry expenditures now exceeds $100 billion. This has benefited Kansas agriculture; it is the fifth largest agricultural sector in Kansas. The bill provides enforcement for unlicensed and closed facilities, ensures pet animal health and welfare, and improves partnership with Shelters and Rescues among other provisions. One goal of the bill is to reduce the number of unlicensed facilities, which unfortunately still exist.(Attachment 11)
Crystal Swann Blackdeer, Board Member, Kansas Pet Advisory Board, provided proponent testimony. She spoke to the role of the Pet Animal Advisory Board which provides advice to the KDA regarding policy and amendments to the Act. She noted that although shelters have a seat on the board, rescue does not. The Board was provided with multiple opportunities to provide input to HB2437.(Attachment 12)
Linda K. Constable, citizen, stood as a proponent of the bill. She noted that Kansas is still number 4 on the Humane Society of the United States "Horrible Hundred" list.(Attachment 13)
Jasmine Kyle, Director of the Southeast Kansas Humane Society, stood in support of the bill. It follows the standards set by the American Veterinary Medical Association and has positive changes that will support non-profit animal shelters.(Attachment 14)
Ashley Beason on behalf of the Kansas Pet Protection Coalition, said the bill addresses the shortcomings in the Animal Facilities Inspection Program (AFI) cited in the 2018 Legislative Post Audit. The Coalition firmly supports all changes of the bill.(Attachment 15)
Vanessa Cowie, Executive Director, Prairie Paws Animal Shelter stood in support of the bill. The bill will make necessary and overdue updates to the Kansas Pet Animal Act.(Attachment 16)
Ellen Querner, citizen, who helped pass the original Pet Animal Act, stood in support of HB2437. The bill improves management and oversight, sets reasonable standards for facility inspections, regulations and training, resets the standards for animal shelters to be reimbursed for confiscated animals, and updates the license procedure.(Attachment 17)
Susan Hakes Kaufmann, Chair, Friends for KCK Animal Services, stood in support of the bill. The bill will provide more transparency to the AFI. Not only does it conform to other written standards it also provides relief for licensees.(Attachment 18)
Written Proponent Testimony
. Kelly L. Bogner, Kansas Pet Animal Advisory Board Member (Attachment 19)
. Shanti Mikolajczyk, Sedgwick County Animal Control Advisory Board Member (Attachment 20)
. Tam Singer, CEO, Great Plains Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (Attachment 21)
. Midge Grinstead, State Director, Humane Society of the United States (Attachment 22)
. Christina Fischer, Executive Director, Wichita Animal Action League (Attachment 23)
. Amber S. Bowlby, President, Kansas Animal Control Association (Attachment 24)
. Nika Orebaugh, Animal Control Supervisor (Attachment 25)
Representative Lewis (Bill) Bloom, District 64, Kansas House of Representatives stood in opposition to HB2437. His major concern was the influence of the Human Society of the United States, an animal rights "at all costs" proponent, was having nationally and specifically in Kansas. It is trying to put Kansas dog breeders out of business and allowing the animal shelters and rescue groups to run the show. He noted that the restrictive contact provisions for inspections doesn't even allow his wife and himself to attend church together.(Attachment 26) (Attachment 27 )(Attachment 28 (Attachment 29)
Lorilee Thomas, Secretary Kansas Pet Professionals and Pet Animal Advisory Board Member, stood in opposition to the bill. She believed that the Pet Animal Advisory Board was not given adequate opportunity to provide advice on the proposed amendments to the Kansas Pet Animal Act.(Attachment 30)
Michelle Russell, President, Kansas Pet Professionals, stood in opposition to the bill because the changes to the Act are not warranted. Kansas is the most highly regulated state in the country but does not even look at pets that cross Kansas borders illegally and wants KDA to be held accountable for that.(Attachment 31)
Tyler Kauer, consultant to the Kansas Pet Professionals, was the former AFI Program Manager at KDA. His concerns included non-transparency regarding meetings about the Act and that the new employees of AFI do not know the history of and or the legal interpretation of the Act. His testimony included proposed amendments to the Act.(Attachment 32)
Aaron Popelka, VP Legal and Government Affairs, Kansas Livestock Association stood in opposition to the bill. The concerns included splitting the KDA Division of Animal Health between livestock and pet programs, requiring "exercise and socialization" requirements and "morbidity and mortality data", and allowing private entities to seize, transport or house pet animals and demand payment at any time. If not paid, the animals will be deemed abandoned without legal due process.(Attachment 33)
Written Opponent Testimony
. Pet Animal Advisory Board (Attachment 34)
. John Blaes, Member, Kansas Pet Professionals (Attachment 35)
. Vickie Duryea, Owner, Duryea's Dazl'n Doggies (Attachment 36)
. Jenina L. Fortner, Member, Kansas Pet Professionals (Attachment 37)
. Janet Donnelly, Member, Kansas Pet Professionals (Attachment 38)
. Philisha Stallbaumer, Board Member Kansas Pet professionals (Attachment 39)
. Shirley and Darole Walton, Animal Breeder (Attachment 40)
Written Neutral Testimony
. Megan Kilgore, Kansas Veterinary Medical Association (Attachment 41)
At the conclusion of the hearing, the Chair provided time for questions. Discussion centered around the Advisory Committee's access to the bill and ability to provide advice about it.
With no further questions, the Chair closed the hearing on HB2437.
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