State Sen. Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach) recently filed legislation related to animal cruelty offences that further defines the term domestic animal and provides additional criminal punishment.
Senate Bill 502 states that if the offender is convicted of the primary offense and the primary offense is a crime of animal cruelty toward a domestic animal, the subtotal sentence points are multiplied by 1.25 under the Florida Criminal Punishment Code.
“Abuse against helpless animals is one of the most heinous acts that can be committed, and punishment for a perpetrator should be swift and severe,” said Leek. “I am proud to continue my work in addressing animal cruelty in the state of Florida by strengthening penalties for those who prey upon domestic animals.”
State Attorney R.J. Larizza of the 7th Judicial Circuit has expressed his full support, stating, “This bill will hold those accountable who choose to torture and abuse animals.”
Concurrent with that measure, Leek has also filed Senate Bill 494, which provides access to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s database of those who have committed crimes against animals. Most notably, such access is critical to animal adoption organizations to ensure that perpetrators are disqualified as recipients of animals seeking placement.
As a member of the Florida House of Representatives in 2018, Leek served as the prime sponsor of House Bill 473, which revised classifications of certain animal cruelty offences and authorized courts to prohibit violators from owning animals. Known as “Ponce’s Law” the measure honored the 9-month-old Labrador retriever puppy named Ponce who was found beaten to death in Ponce Inlet.
“Thank you to Sen. Tom Leek for filing Senate Bill 502 and Senate Bill 494, which will further advance our shared mission in giving a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves,” said Debbie Darino, president and founder of The Ponce Animal Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. “This legislation will rightfully increase punishment to those who dare to mistreat our beloved animals.”
In addition, Leek filed in January SB 234: Criminal Offenses Against Law Enforcement Officers and Other Personnel, known as the “Officer Jordan Raynor Act,” in honor of Daytona Beach Police Department officer Jason Raynor who was killed in 2021 in the line of duty, and this week, SB 466: Florida Museum of Black History in furtherance of Florida’s Museum of Black History by creating a board of directors to oversee the commission, construction, operation and administration of the museum. The Florida Museum of Black History Task Force selected St. Johns County as the preferred location for the museum.
