Mass. Legislative Scorecard 2015-2016 to date (Sponsorship of bills)

Legislators can co-sponsor new legislation at the beginning of the session. This spreadsheet is meant to assist you in learning a bit about your state legislators, through their sponsorship or co-sponsorship on select animal-related bills this year. We will add votes and other detail once more actions occur in the  legislature. The information should be helpful; however, it does have limitations. It doesn’t reflect past actions a legislator may have taken to help or harm animals. It also is only using one measurement — sponsor/co-sponsorship — which won’t give a clear indication on where a   legislator stands on many issues. We also were unable to include every helpful or harmful animal-related bill. Therefore, as  always, we encourage you to meet with your legislators (in either the State House or district office), write to them, and ask about positions on specific animal issues. If your legislators have been supportive of animal issues, please take a few minutes to thank them.

KEY:

		Animal Cruelty/Seizures	Ivory/Rhino Horn Trafficking	Puppies/Kittens, Petshops	Farm Animal Confinement	Animal Abandonment	Dog Tethering/Enforcement	Animals/Hot Cars	Elephants/Bullhooks	Dogs/Insurance	Sunday Hunting	Trapping	Animal Cruelty/Care
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Rep.	J. Arciero	+	+	+	+	+	+	+					+
Rep.	B. Ashe	+	+	+	+	+		+	+				+
Rep.	C. Atkins	+	+	+				+
Rep.	B. Ayers							+					+
Rep.	R. Balser		+	+	+	+	+		+	+			+
Rep.	C. Barber						+			+
Rep.	F. Barrows
Rep.	J. Benson	+	+			+		+					+
Rep.	D.Berthiaume
Rep.	N. Boldyga		+
Rep.	G. Bradley			++
Rep.	M. Brady	+	+		+	+		+	+				+
Rep.	P. Brodeur	+	+		+	+	+	+	+				+
Rep.	A. Cabral
Rep.	T. Calter, III	+	+	+	+	+		+					+
Rep.	K.Campanale
Rep.	L. Campbell	++
Rep.	J. Cantwell	+		+	+			+	+
Rep.	G. Cariddi	+	+	+	+	+		+					+
Rep.	E. Carvalho
Rep.	T. Chan		+			+
Rep.	L. Cole	+
Rep.	N. Collins
Rep.	E. Coppinger		+
Rep.	B. Crighton					+
Rep.	C. Cronin
Rep.	D. Cullinane	+				+		+					+
Rep.	M. Cusack	+	+	+		+	+	+		+			+
Rep.	J. Cutler	+	+	+		+			+	+			+
Rep.	A. D’Emilia	+	+	+	+	+	+	+		+			+
Rep.	M. Day		+					+
Rep.	M. Decker	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+			+
Rep.	D. DeCoste												+
Rep.	R. DeLeo
Rep.	B. Dempsey
Rep.	M. Devers				+	+	+
Rep.	G. Diehl
Rep.	S. DiNatale	+			+	+	+	+					+
Rep.	D. DiZoglio	+	+	+		+	+	+		+			+
Rep.	D. Donahue	+
Rep.	P. Donato		+
Rep.	S. Dooley
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Rep.	M. Dubois	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+			+
Rep.	P. Durant
Rep.	J. Dwyer	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+			+
Rep.	C. Dykema	+	+	+		+	+	+	+	+			+
Rep.	L. Ehrlich		++	+	+	+	+	++	++				+
Rep.	T. Farley-Bouvier		+
Rep.	R. Fennell		+
Rep.	K. Ferguson			+				+
Rep.	J. Fernandes
Rep.	A. Ferrante	+	+	+		+		+
Rep.	M. Finn
Rep.	C. Fiola	+				+	+	+					+
Rep.	G. Fox
Rep.	P. Frost
Rep.	W. Galvin	+	+	+		+	+	+	+				+
Rep.	S. Garballey	+	+	+	+	+	+	+					+
Rep.	D. Garlick		+			+		+
Rep.	C. Garry	+	+	+		+	+	+	+	+			+
Rep.	C. Gentile
Rep.	S. Gifford	+				+		+		+			+
Rep.	T. Golden, Jr.		+			+
Rep.	C. Gonzalez		+			+	+		+
Rep.	K. Gordon		+	+			+	+
Rep.	D. Gregoire		+			+				+
Rep.	P. Haddad
Rep.	S. Harrington
Rep.	J. Hecht	+	+		+	+	+	+	+				+
Rep.	P. Heroux	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+				+
Rep.	B. Hill
Rep.	K. Hogan	+	+			+		+					+
Rep.	R. Holmes
Rep.	S. Howitt
Rep.	K. Honan	+	+	+		+	+						+
Rep.	D. Hunt	+	+				+
Rep.	R. Hunt
Rep.	B. Jones, Jr.		+
Rep.	L. Kafka		+	+				+		+			++
Rep.	H. Kane	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Rep.	J. Kaufman
Rep.	M. Keefe
Rep.	J. Kelcourse
Rep.	K. Khan	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+				+
Rep.	P. Kocot	+	+	+		+	+	+		+			+
Rep.	R. Koczera
Rep.	S. Kulik
Rep.	K. Kuros		+			+
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Rep.	J. Lawn	+	+	+		+	+	+		+			+
Rep.	Whipps Lee
Rep.	D. Linsky		+	+		+		+		+
Rep.	J. Livingstone	+	+		+	+	+	+		+			+
Rep.	M. Lombardo
Rep.	J. Lyons
Rep.	T. Madden	+		+	+	+		+		+			+
Rep.	A. Madaro	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Rep.	J. Mahoney
Rep.	L. Malia		+	+
Rep.	B. Mannal		+		+	+	+		++
Rep.	R. Mariano
Rep.	P. Mark		+			+
Rep.	C. Markey
Rep.	J. McGonagle	+		+				+					+
Rep.	J. McKenna	+	+		+
Rep.	P. McMurtry	+	+	+	+	+	+	+					+
Rep.	J. Miceli	+	+	+		+	+
Rep.	A. Michlewitz	+		+		+	+	+					+
Rep.	L. Mirra		+	+	+				+
Rep.	R. Mom
Rep.	F. Moran	+	+		+	+	+	+	+				+
Rep.	M. Moran
Rep.	D. Muradian
Rep.	M. Muratore								+
Rep.	J. Murphy	+	+			+	+	+					+
Rep.	D. Nangle
Rep.	H. Naughton	+	+					+					+
Rep.	S. O’Connell	+	+
Rep.	J. O’Day
Rep.	K. Orrall	+				+
Rep.	J. Parisella					+
Rep.	S. Peake		+
Rep.	A. Peisch		+		+	+	+	+	+
Rep.	T. Petrolati		+	+	+
Rep.	W. Pignatelli	+	+	+	+	+	+	+		+			+
Rep.	E. Poirier
Rep.	D. Provost		+	+	+	+	+		+
Rep.	A. Puppolo	+		+		+	+	+		+			+
Rep.	D. Rogers	+	+		++	++	++	+	+				+
Rep.	J. Rogers		+				+
Rep.	D. Rosa					+	+			+
Rep.	J. Roy			+		+							+
Rep.	B. Rushing		+										+
Rep.	D. Ryan	+	+	+	+	+		+	+
Rep.	J. Sanchez								+
Rep.	T. Sannicandro	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+			+
Rep.	A. Scaccia
Rep.	P. Schmid
Rep.	J. Scibak	+	+			+		+		+			+
Rep.	A. Silvia	+				+		+					+
Rep.	F. Smizik		+			+
Rep.	T. Smola		+			+
Rep.	T. Speliotis	+				+	+	+					+
Rep.	T. Stanley	+	+	+	+	+		+	+				+
Rep.	E. Story				+
Rep.	W. Straus
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Rep.	B. Swan		+		+	+	+		+
Rep.	W. Timilty	+	+	+		+	+	+	+				+
Rep.	T. Toomey		+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Rep.	J. Tosado
Rep.	P. Tucker	+	+	+		+	+	+					+
Rep.	S. Ultrino					+
Rep.	A. Vega		+			+
Rep.	J. Velis		+	+
Rep.	D. Vieira
Rep.	R. Vincent	+											+
Rep.	J. Wagner
Rep.	C. Walsh		+		+	+	+	+
Rep.	T.Whelan
Rep.	D. Wong
Rep.	J. Zlotnik	+								+
	SENATE
Sen.	M. Barrett		+		+		+
Sen.	W. Brownsberger	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+			+
Sen.	H. Chandler
Sen.	S. Chang-Diaz				+
Sen.	C. Creem		+	+	+
Sen.	V. deMacedo										–
Sen.	S. DiDomenico	+	+	+	+	+		+
Sen.	K. Donnelly		+	+
Sen.	E. Donoghue
Sen.	L. Forry			+	+	+							+
Sen.	B. Downing											–
Sen.	J. Eldridge	+	+	+	+	++		+	+	+	–
Sen	R. Fattman
Sen.	J. Flanagan
Sen.	A. Gobi	+	+			+			++	+	– –	– –	+
Sen.	R. Hedlund		+	+	+	+	+	+	++	+	–
Sen.	D. Humason										– –
Sen.	P. Jehlen		+	+	+		++
Sen.	B. Joyce		+					+
Sen.	J. Keenan			+	+		+
Sen.	T. Kennedy		+	+	+	+
Sen.	E. Lesser
Sen.	B. L’italien		+	+		+		+
Sen.	J. Lewis	+	++	+	++	+	+	+	+	+			+
Sen.	J. Lovely	+	+	+	+	+		+	+				+
Sen.	T. McGee			+	+	+
Sen.	M. Montigny	+		+	+	+	+	++	+
Sen.	M. Moore	+	+	+		+	+	+		+		–	+
Sen.	K. Ives	+	+			+		+	+
Sen.	M. Pacheco	+	+	+		+		+		+	–		+
Sen.	A. Petruccelli
Sen.	M. Rodrigues
Sen.	S. Rosenberg
Sen.	R. Ross	+		+	+		+	+
Sen.	M. Rush
Sen.	K. Spilka			++
Sen.	B. Tarr	+	+	+		+	+	+	+				+
Sen.	J. Timilty												+
Sen.	J. Welch												+
Sen.	D. Wolf

EXPLANATION OF SCORECARD ACTIONS

EXPLANATION OF CO-SPONSORSHIP OF BILLS

Legislators can co-sponsor new legislation at the beginning of the session. If a bill is late-filed, they can also co-sponsor a bill at the time it is filed. The bills below were filed during the 2015-2016 session.

1. Cruelty/animal seizures (H. 1220)
This bill would make changes to the statute relating to the seizure of animals in connection with cruelty investigations, helping to ensure animals are not twice victimized by being held for long periods of time while the related cruelty case is pending. Sponsor: Rep. Campbell

2. Ivory/Rhino Horn (S. 440, H. 1275)
This bill will clamp down on illegal ivory and rhino horn sales by prohibiting the sale, trade and distribution of these products within our state. It will ensure the Commonwealth doesn’t play a role in the unprecedented global poaching crisis by prohibiting the trade in ivory and rhino horn. Elephants are being killed at an unsustainable rate; 35,000 African elephants were slaughtered in 2012 alone to satisfy the ivory market – an average of 96 per day. Sponsors: Senator Lewis, Rep. Ehrlich

3. Puppy and kitten protection (S. 1103, H. 1826)
These bills would prevent the sale of dog or cat less than 8 weeks of age, provide a remedy for the sale of sick dogs and cats and regulate breeders (who keep 6 or more intact female dogs). Sponsors: Senator Spilka, Rep. Bradley

4. Farm animal confinement (S. 439, H. 1555)
Two bills were filed to prohibit the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs. Sponsors: Senator Lewis, Rep. David Rogers

5. Animal abandonment (S. 1072, H. 1865 – changed to S. 2174 in 2016)
This bill would require owners of rented properties to check them for abandoned animals within 3 days after tenants move out; if abandoned animals are found, owners must report to the animal control officer or other authorities. Sponsors: Senator Eldridge, Rep. David Rogers

6. Enforcement of dog laws (S. 1085, H. 1866)
This bill would allow MSPCA and Animal Rescue League of Boston law enforcement officers to enforce the provisions in the new Ch.140 sec 174E to be able to better protect dogs from cruel outdoor conditions. Sponsors: Senator Jehlen, Rep. David Rogers

7. Animal safety in  cars (S. 878, H. 1273)
This bill would give animal control officers, law enforcement officers and fire fighters specific authority to remove an animal, and cite the owner, when the conditions in a car are expected to threaten the health of the animal due to extreme heat or cold. Sponsors: Senator Montigny, Rep. Ehrlich

8. Banning the use of the bullhook on traveling Elephants (S. 1801, H. 1274, H. 1477)
This bill would prohibit any person who houses, possesses or travels with elephants utilized in traveling shows from using any implement that would result in physical harm (such as a bullhook) or from keeping the elephants constantly restrained by chain or similar device. Sponsors: Senator Hedlund, Rep. Ehrlich, Rep. Mannal

9. Dogs/Homeowners (S. 501)
This bill would prevent insurance companies from denying or cancelling homeowners insurance based on the breed of dog owned. Sponsor: Senator Gobi

10. Sunday hunting (S. 415, H. 1573, H. 672, H. 762, S. 424, S. 429, H. 3236, H. 3239)
Several bills were filed to allow hunting on Sundays or on some Sundays. A legislator receiving an “–” signed on to one or more of these bills.

11. Trapping (S. 409, H. 709, H. 722, H. 673, S. 421, H. 730)
Several bills were filed to remove some or all of the restrictions on body-gripping traps for animals. A legislator receiving an “–” signed on to one or more of these bills.

12.  Animal cruelty clarifications (H. 1848)
This bill will clarify the existing animal cruelty law to give specific express notice to animal owners and possessors that they have an obligation to provide their animals with veterinary care that is necessary to prevent or relieve their animals’ suffering. Sponsor: Rep. Kafka