SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2019 SESSION
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 18.2-144.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 18.2-144.1. Prohibition against killing or injuring police animals; penalty.
It shall be is unlawful for any person to
maliciously shoot, stab, wound or otherwise cause bodily injury to, or
administer poison to or expose poison with intent that it be taken by a dog,
horse, or other animal owned, used, or trained by a law-enforcement
agency, regional jail, or the Department of Corrections while such
animal is performing his its lawful duties or is being kept in a
kennel, pen, or stable while off duty. A violation of this section
shall be is punishable as a Class 5 felony and the sentence
imposed shall include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of six months.
Such punishment shall be separate and apart from, and shall be made to run
consecutively with, any other sentence. The court shall order that the
defendant pay restitution for the cost of any animal killed or rendered unable
to perform its duties. Such cost shall include training expenses.
2. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4 of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation is $0 for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities and cannot be determined for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.