LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A bill has been filed in the Arkansas legislature that prohibits cities and local governments from banning animals based on their breed.
The bill, HB 1519, is aimed at prohibiting municipalities from enacting breed-specific regulations for animals. House Republican Representatives RJ Hawk, Mary Bentley, Mark Berry and Carlton Wing are the sponsors of the bill.
If passed, the bill would amend the law (Arkansas Code Title 14, Chapter 54, Subchapter 11) to add an additional section that would specifically prohibit city governments in Arkansas from regulating animals based on the breed or "perceived breed" of the animal.
This amendment doesn't stop municipalities from not allowing animals unvaccinated against rabies— that is a situation where it would be legal for city governments to ban animals at large.
The bill was first filed on Feb. 28 and was referred to the City, County & Local Affairs Committee where it will be evaluated at an undetermined time.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.