00CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 284(STA)                                                                                       
01 "An Act relating to cruelty to animals."                                                                                
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03    * Section 1.  AS 11.61.140(a) is amended to read:                                                                  
04  (a)  A person commits the crime of cruelty to animals if the person                                                   
05   (1)  knowingly  [INTENTIONALLY] inflicts severe [AND                                                               
06 PROLONGED] physical pain or  prolonged  suffering on an animal;                                                       
07   (2)  with criminal negligence, fails to care for  [RECKLESSLY                                                      
08 NEGLECTS] an animal and, as a result [OF THAT NEGLECT], causes the death of                                             
09 the animal or causes severe  physical  pain or  prolonged  suffering to the animal; or                              
10   (3)  kills an animal by the use of a decompression chamber.                                                          
11    * Sec. 2.  AS 11.61.140(b) is amended to read:                                                                     
12  (b)  It is a defense to a prosecution under (a)(1) or (2) of this section that the                                    
13 conduct of the defendant                                                                                                
14   (1)  conformed to accepted veterinary  or animal husbandry  practice;                                              

01   (2)  was part of scientific research governed by accepted standards; or                                              
02   (3)  was necessarily incident to lawful hunting or trapping activities.