HOUSE BILL NO. 673

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee for Courts of Justice

on ________________)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate McLaughlin)

A BILL to direct the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia to include a separate animal cruelty list on the online case information system.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia (the Executive Secretary) shall, no later than January 1, 2028, include on the publicly viewable case information system established pursuant to § 17.1-293.1 of the Code of Virginia a separate Animal Cruelty List (the List) to serve as a database of information regarding persons charged or convicted on or after July 1, 2026, of any violation of the prohibition against (i) cruelty to animals as provided by § 3.2-6570 of the Code of Virginia; (ii) animal fighting as provided by § 3.2-6571 of the Code of Virginia; (iii) maiming, killing, or poisoning an animal as provided by § 18.2-144 of the Code of Virginia; or (iv) killing or injuring a police animal as provided by § 18.2-144.1 of the Code of Virginia. Information on the List shall include the name of the offender at the time of the charge or conviction as well as the offense for which the offender was charged or convicted and the date and jurisdiction of such charge or conviction.