HB 3147 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Make it a felony to kill a canine officer

HB 3147 amends West Virginia law to classify police canines actively working with officers as "law-enforcement officers" for legal protection purposes. This makes it a felony to kill or injure a police canine while it is on duty, treating such acts as equivalent to assaulting a human officer under §61-2-10b. The bill directly affects police canine units and individuals who attack them during official duties. Key provisions redefine "law-enforcement officer" to include canines during active service and establish felony penalties mirroring those for harming human officers. It does not grant canines employee status or workplace protections.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
To House Judiciary
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Committee
To Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors

Sponsors