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
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
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
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