Puppy / Kitten Mill Bill Update and More Calls Needed!

First, the good news! H.F. 253 passed out of the House Civil Justice Committee on Monday without any amendments!

MORE CALLS NEEDED IN THE HOUSE -- ANOTHER HEARING
The bill is now going to be heard in the House Agriculture Committee the morning of Friday, March 27.

ACTION: Please call all of the members on the committee before Friday morning and ask them to vote in favor of H.F. 253, Representative Tillberry's bill. As you know, hearings are unpredictable. Unforeseen amendments to weaken the bill may be introduced at the hearing, which is why it's important to reiterate your support of H.F. 253 and urge committee members not to accept any amendments that would weaken it.

Below is a list of the committee members and their phone numbers.

House Agriculture, Rural Economics and Veterans Affairs Committee
Call BEFORE Friday, March 27. Support H.F. 253.
Chair: Representative Mary Ellen Otremba - 651-296-3201
Vice Chair: Representative Al Doty - 651-296-4247
Representative Steve Drazkowski - 651-296-2273
Representative Kent Eken - 651-296-9918
Representative Tim Faust - 651-296-0518
Representative Rod Hamilton - 651-296-5373
Representative Kory Kath - 651-296-5368
Representative Terry Morrow - 651-296-8634
Representative Dave Olin - 651-296-9635
Representative Ron Shimanski - 651-296-1534
Representative Dean Urdahl - 651-296-4344

Urgent-Senate Hearing on Puppy / Kitten Mill Legislation. Your calls needed!

The Minnesota Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill -- S.F. 7 (Betzold) -- is going to be heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday, March 24, for more debate and a vote.
This is a second hearing for this committee and a final vote (in this committee) will be taken. This vote is critical, so we are urging you to call all of the members on this committee once more.
IMPORTANT: A weaker amendment requiring "registration only" for breeders may be offered at this hearing, which will do little to protect animals from unscrupulous breeders. Ask committee members NOT to support a weaker, "registration only" amendment.

ACTION: Please call all of the members on the committee before 3:00 p.m. Tuesday and ask them to vote in favor of S.F. 7 (Sen. Betzold's bill) -- and to NOT support a weaker, "registration only" amendment.

SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE MEMBERS -- Support S.F. 7
Chair: Senator Jim Vickerman (District 22) 651-296-5650
Vice Chair: Sharon L. Erickson Ropes (District 31) 651-296-5649
Senator Satveer S. Chaudhary (District 50) 651-296-4334
Senator Steve Dille (District 18) 651-296-4131
Senator Lisa A. Fobbe (District 16) 651-296-8075
Senator Joe Gimse (District 13) 651-296-3826
Senator David W. Hann (District 42) 651-296-1749
Senator Bill G. Ingebrigtsen (District 11) 651-297-8063
Senator Paul E. Koering (District 12) 651-296-4875
Senator Gary W. Kubly (District 20) 651-296-5094
Senator Keith Langseth (District 9) 651-296-3205
Senator Tony Lourey (District 8) 651-296-0293
Senator Steve Murphy (District 28) 651-296-4264
Senator Rod Skoe (District 2) 651-296-4196
Senator Dan Skogen (District 10) 651-296-5655 (Kathy Jo Bauck's district*)
* Kathy Jo Bauck is owner of Pick Of The Litter, a dog breeding facility in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Bauck has been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty and torture. That trial is in process right now.

Legislators are hearing from dog and cat breeders, hunting groups, the NRA, and others who oppose the bill or any regulation. Your voice is necessary.

More Action Needed for Puppy / Kitten MIll Legislation!

The Minnesota Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill -- H.F. 253 -- will be heard in the House Civil Justice Committee on Monday, March 23. Please call all of the members on the committee before 4:00 p.m. Monday and leave a message asking them to vote in favor of Rep. Tillberry's bill (H.F. 253).

As you may know, hearings are unpredictable. Unforeseen amendments to weaken the bill may be introduced by committee members at the hearing, which is why it's important to urge them not to accept any amendments that would weaken it.

NOTE: If you already called all the members on the House Public Safety Committee, then you only need to call the ones highlighted in red below because they have not heard from you yet. (Legislators sit on multiple committees.) If you didn't have a chance to contact these committee members, then please call all members of the House Civil Justice Committee below.

HOUSE CIVIL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
Chair: Representative Joe Mullery 651-296-4262
Vice Chair: Representative Gail Kulick Jackson 651-296-6746
Representative Bobby Joe Champion 651-296-8659
Representative Steve Drazkowski 651-296-2273 (voted NO in Public Safety)
Representative Debra Hilstrom 651-296-3709
Representative Mary Liz Holberg 651-296-6926
Representative Melissa Hortman 651-296-4280
Representative Sheldon Johnson 651-296-4201
Representative Tim Kelly 651-296-8635
Representative Tim Mahoney 651-296-4277
Representative Dave Olin 651-296-9635
Representative Michael Paymar 651-296-4199 (co-author)
Representative Peggy Scott 651-296-4231
Representative Torrey Westrom 651-296-4929

Great news!

On Tuesday, March 17, the members of the Minnesota House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee passed H.F. 253 by a wide margin -13 to 4! Your calls do make a difference!

H.F. 253 has been amended slightly. This is a good thing! Language from Rep. Juhnke's bill (H.F. 573) was amended into H.F. 253 and supporters of Rep. Juhnke's bill now support H.F. 253.
The biggest change to the bill's language (per the amendment) is the definitions of "commercial breeder" and "hobby breeder." Instead of having the count for commercial breeders include 6 intact "females", the number was changed to "20 or more adult intact animals" and includes breeders who produce five or more litters per year. To keep the bill moving forward, the coalition supported this compromise. Committee members acknowledged these collaborative efforts by voting Yes.
The coalition will continue to fight for the strongest language possible while working collaboratively to get legislation passed.

Urgent Action Needed!

The Minnesota Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill, H.F. 253, will be heard in the Minnesota House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee on Tuesday, March 17. Your voice is making a difference. Legislators are hearing from you - through your petitions, emails and calls; however, legislators are also hearing from breeders who oppose the bill. This is why phone calls are critical.

House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee - Ask for their support of H.F. 253 (Author, Rep. Tillberry)

Chair: Representative Debra Hilstrom (District 46B) - 651-296-3709

Vice Chair: Representative Karla Bigham (District 57A) - 651-296-4342 (co-author)Representative Bruce Anderson (District 19A) - 651-296-5063

Representative Tony Cornish (District 24B) - 651-296-4240

Representative Steve Drazkowski (District 28B) - 651-296-2273

Representative Gail Kulick Jackson (District 16A) - 651-296-6746

Representative Sheldon Johnson (District 67B) 651-296-4201

Representative Kory Kathy (District 26B) - 651-296-5368

Representative Tim Kelly (District 28A) - 651-296-8635

Representative Paul Kohls (District 34A) - 651-296-4282

Representative John Lesch (District 66A) - 651-296-4224

Representative Sandra Masin (District 38A) - 651-296-3533

Representative Joe Mullery (District 58A) - 651-296-4262

Representative Dave Olin (District 1A) - 651-296-9635

Representative Michael Paymar (District 64B) - 651-296-4199 (co-author)

Representative Paul Rosenthal (District 41B) - 651-296-7803 (co-author)

Representative Ron Shimanski (District 18A) - 651-296-1534

IMPORTANT: If you are a constituent of a committee member listed above, please be sure he/she is aware of that. To find out who represents you, click here.