SB1884 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB100 11346 MLM 21729 b

100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB1884

Introduced 2/10/2017, by Sen. Linda Holmes

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Research Dogs and Cats Adoption Act. Provides that a research facility, after the completion of any research involving a dog or cat, shall assess the health of the dog or cat and determine whether it is suitable for adoption. Provides that a research facility shall make reasonable efforts to offer for adoption a dog or cat determined to be suitable. Provides that a research facility that provides dogs or cats to an animal adoption organization is immune from any civil liability under the Act except for willful or wanton misconduct. Requires research facilities to have a research facility adoption policy made available on the facility's website. Defines "research facility".

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Research Dogs and Cats Adoption Act.

Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Animal adoption organization" means a non-profit organization authorized to conduct affairs in this State, incorporated for the purpose of adopting animals in need and finding permanent, adoptive homes for the animals and licensed as an animal shelter under the Animal Welfare Act.

"Attending veterinarian" means a person who is in the employ of the research facility and who meets the definition of attending veterinarian in regulations promulgated under the federal Animal Welfare Act (9 CFR 1.1).

"Public funds" means appropriated and non-appropriated funding from the State or federal government.

"Research facility" means an institution of higher education located in this State that utilizes dogs or cats for scientific, educational, or research purposes and receives public funds for those purposes.

"Research facility adoption policy" means an adoption policy for dogs and cats that details the specific steps that a research facility takes to provide for the adoption of a dog or cat that is no longer necessary for scientific, educational, or research purposes and that, in the opinion of the dog's or cat's attending veterinarian, is suitable for adoption. The policy shall apply only to dogs or cats owned by the research facility.

Section 10. Research dog and cat adoption.

(a) A research facility, after the completion of any research involving a dog or cat, shall assess the health of the dog or cat and determine whether it is suitable for adoption.

(b) A research facility shall thereafter make reasonable efforts to offer for adoption a dog or cat determined to be suitable for adoption, either through private placement or through an animal adoption organization.

(c) A research facility that provides a dog or cat to an animal adoption organization under its research facility adoption policy is immune from any civil liability resulting from the research facility's actions as described in this Section, except for willful or wanton misconduct.

(d) Nothing in this Section shall create a duty upon an animal adoption organization to accept a dog or cat offered for adoption by a research facility.

(e) An attending veterinarian shall have the authority to assess the health of the dog or cat and determine whether the dog or cat is suitable for adoption.

(f) A research facility that owns dogs or cats for scientific, educational, or research purposes shall have a research facility adoption policy. The research facility adoption policy shall be made available on the research facility's website.