CS/SB 676: Animal Welfare

GENERAL BILL by Fiscal Policy, Arrington; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Leek

Animal Welfare; Creating the offense of causing or enticing a minor to commit, or in the presence of a minor committing, animal cruelty; requiring a court to order a minor who commits specified acts of animal cruelty to undergo a psychological evaluation and, if recommended, receive counseling or treatment for a specified time period; requiring the Department of Law Enforcement to post on its website specified information relating to each individual convicted of specified animal cruelty offenses; creating the offense of causing or enticing a minor to commit, or in the presence of a minor committing, fighting or baiting animals; increasing the maximum civil penalty for specified violations of ordinances relating to animal control or cruelty, etc.

Current Bill Version Posted: 2/25/2026 03:28 PM

• Senate Committee References (3)

  1. Criminal Justice (CJ)
  2. Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice (ACJ)
  3. Fiscal Policy (FP)

• Related Bills (3)

  Bill Number Subject Filed By Last Action and Location	Relationship Learn more about bill relationships
  H 559 (er) by Criminal Justice Subcommittee Animal Welfare Last Action: 5/13/2026 Chapter No. 2026-78; Companion bill(s) passed, see CS/SB 1004 (Ch. 2026-76)	Identical
  H 1521 (c3) by Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee Domestic Animals Last Action: 3/9/2026 H Laid on Table; Companion bill(s) passed, see CS/SB 1004 (Ch. 2026-76), CS/HB 559 (Ch. 2026-78)	Compare
  S 1004 (er) by Gaetz Domestic Animals Last Action: 5/13/2026 Chapter No. 2026-76, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 559 (Ch. 2026-78)	Compare

• Citations - Statute (5)

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  828.12	Cruelty to animals.	Page 2 (pdf)
  828.122	Fighting or baiting animals; offenses; penalties.	Page 5 (pdf)
  828.126	Sexual activities involving animals.	Page 7 (pdf)
  828.27	Local animal control or cruelty ordinances; penalty.	Page 7 (pdf)
  921.0022	Criminal Punishment Code; offense severity ranking chart.	Page 9 (pdf)

• Bill History

  S = Senate, H = House

  12/1/2025	S	• Filed
  12/9/2025	S	• Referred to Criminal Justice; Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; Fiscal Policy
  1/5/2026	S	• On Committee agenda-- Criminal Justice, 01/12/26, 1:30 pm, 37 Senate Building
  1/12/2026	S	• Favorable by Criminal Justice; YEAS 8 NAYS 0 • Now in Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice
  1/13/2026	S	• Introduced
  1/16/2026	S	• On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice, 01/21/26, 1:30 pm, 37 Senate Building
  1/21/2026	S	• Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice; YEAS 8 NAYS 0 • Now in Fiscal Policy
  2/19/2026	S	• On Committee agenda-- Fiscal Policy, 02/24/26, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building
  2/24/2026	S	• CS by- Fiscal Policy; YEAS 18 NAYS 0
  2/25/2026	S	• Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute) • Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading • CS by Fiscal Policy read 1st time
  3/2/2026	S	• Placed on Special Order Calendar, 03/04/26
  3/4/2026	S	• Read 2nd time -SJ 547 • Substituted CS/HB 559 -SJ 547 • Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 559 (Ch. 2026-78), CS/SB 1004 (Ch. 2026-76) -SJ 547