File #: Int 0782-2026    Version: * Name: Publicly accessible animal abuse registry.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Health
On agenda: 3/26/2026
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a publicly accessible animal abuse registry
Sponsors: Joann Ariola , Shahana K. Hanif
Council Member Sponsors: 2
Summary: This bill would amend the Animal Abuse Registration Act (the “Act”) to allow members of the public to access the Animal Abuse Registry (“Registry”) maintained by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). The bill would allow the public to identify whether a person is prohibited from owning an animal under the Act. All persons convicted of an animal abuse crime on or after the effective date of the proposed legislation would be searchable on the Registry by members of the public.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 782, 2. Int. No. 782, 3. March 26, 2026 - Stated Meeting Agenda

Int. No. 782

 

By Council Members Ariola and Hanif

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a publicly accessible animal abuse registry

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Subdivision c of section 17-1602 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law 4 for the year 2014, is amended to read as follows:

  c.   1. The information maintained in the registry created pursuant to this section shall [only] be made available to law enforcement agencies, district attorneys or when otherwise required by law, and [shall otherwise be kept confidential, provided, however, that] members of the public. [t]The department shall grant authorized entities the password-protected ability to electronically query the registry using a person's name, driver's license or non-driver photo ID card number, or other identifying information determined by the commissioner, and to receive in response to such query electronic notice of whether such person is prohibited from owning an animal under section 17-1604 of this chapter. The department shall grant the public the ability to electronically query the registry using a person’s name or other identifying information deemed appropriate by the commissioner, and to receive in response to such query electronic notice of whether such person is prohibited from owning an animal under section 17-1604 of this chapter.

2. The department shall grant the public the ability to access information maintained in the registry created pursuant to this section only for persons convicted of an animal abuse crime on or after the effective date of the local law that added this paragraph.

§ 3. This local law takes effect 1 year after it becomes law.

CP

LS # 21296

3/20/2026 1:19 PM