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REFERENCE TITLE: animal control officers; mandatory training |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session 2026
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SB 1462 |
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Introduced by Senator Kavanagh
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AN ACT
amending section 9-499.04, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES; AMENDING TITLE 11, CHAPTER 7, ARTICLE 6, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 11-1004; relating to animal control officers.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 9-499.04, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
9-499.04. Animal control officers; appointment; authority; regulation of dogs; mandatory training; powers and duties
A. Any city and town may by ordinance provide for the appointment of animal control officers who may commence an action or proceeding before a court for any violation of a state statute or local ordinance relating to rabies and animal control that occurs within the jurisdiction of the city or town.
B. An animal control officer appointed pursuant to subsection A of this section shall:
1. Be unarmed during the course of duties except that a small caliber firearm may be available to be used in controlling vicious animals or in dispatching of a wounded animal. For the purposes of this paragraph, "small caliber firearm" means a rifle or pistol utilizing that uses a rimfire cartridge with a caliber not to exceed of not more than twenty-two hundredths of an inch and with a non-richocheting nonricocheting bullet or a shotgun whose bore size does not exceed forty-one hundredths of an inch.
2. Be an employee of the appointing city or town.
C. A city or town may regulate the control of dogs if the regulation is not specific to any breed.
D. Subsection B of this section does not grant other powers or benefits to animal control officers to which peace officers of this state are entitled.
e. an animal control officer who is appointed on or after January 1, 2027 and who has the authority to commence an action or proceeding before a court pursuant to subsection A of this section shall attend and complete a training course within one year after appointment or at the next available training course. an Animal control officer who is appointed before January 1, 2027 and who has the authority to commence an action or proceeding before a court pursuant to subsection A of this section shall attend and complete a training course within eighteen months after the effective date of this amendment to this section. The training course must include instruction that is identical to training courses that are currently approved and offered by the Arizona peace officer standards and training board. The courses prescribed in paragraphs 1 through 3 of this subsection shall be provided by instructors who are certified by the arizona peace officer standards and training board. The course prescribed in paragraph 4 of this subsection shall be provided by a statewide animal humane organization. Courses in animal cruelty investigations must include courses that were approved and offered by the Arizona peace officer standards and training board and that are now provided by instructors from a statewide animal humane organization. The training course must include all of the following:
1. Introduction to criminal law.
2. Laws relating to arrests.
3. Search and seizure laws.
4. Animal cruelty investigations.
Sec. 2. Title 11, chapter 7, article 6, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 11-1004, to read:
11-1004. Animal control officers; mandatory training
An animal control officer who is hired or appointed on or after January 1, 2027 and who has the authority to commence an action or proceeding pursuant to section 9-499.04, subsection A shall attend and complete a training course within one year after appointment or at the next available training course. an Animal control officer who is hired or appointed before january 1, 2027 and who has the authority to commence an action or proceeding pursuant to section 9-499.04, subsection A shall attend and complete a training course within eighteen months after the effective date of this section. The training course must include instruction that is identical to training courses that are currently approved and offered by the Arizona peace officer standards and training board. The courses prescribed in paragraphs 1 through 3 of this subsection shall be provided by instructors who are certified by the arizona peace officer standards and training board. The course prescribed in paragraph 4 of this subsection shall be provided by a statewide animal humane organization. Courses in animal cruelty investigations must include courses that were approved and offered by the Arizona peace officer standards and training board and that are now provided by instructors from a statewide animal humane organization. The training course must include all of the following:
1. Introduction to criminal law.
2. Laws relating to arrests.
3. Search and seizure laws.
4. Animal cruelty investigations.