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AMENDMENT TO SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 53

2    AMENDMENT NO. ___. Amend Senate Joint Resolution 53, AS
3AMENDED, by replacing everything after the heading with the
4following:
 
5    "WHEREAS, The unintended or uncontrolled breeding of cats
6leads to the births of thousands of kittens annually, many of
7whom become feral cats, often referred to as "community cats";
8and
 
9    WHEREAS, There is a need to preserve wildlife, improve cat
10welfare, maintain property rights, and enhance public health by
11humanely managing and limiting the growth of the number of
12feral cats in Illinois; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Feral cats are often impounded and killed, at
14great expense to the community; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Trap, neuter, vaccinate, and return programs
2attempt to manage and limit the growth of the number of feral
3or community cats; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Management of feral cats is also affected by local
5government ordinances; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Illinois Animal Population Control Fund plays
7an important role in helping communities pay for community
8control efforts; therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
10ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
11CONCURRING HEREIN, that a Feral Cat Task Force be appointed to
12examine the Animal Control Act, the Humane Care for Animals
13Act, the Animal Welfare Act, and any other relevant statutory
14provisions, including the Illinois Animal Population Control
15Fund, other trap, neuter, and return programs in other states,
16trap and adopt programs, or other proposed solutions to this
17issue and make comprehensive written recommendations for
18change that would result in the effective management of feral
19and community cats, preserve wildlife, improve cat welfare,
20maintain property rights, and enhance public health; and be it
21further
 
22    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the

 

 

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1following members:
2    (1) the President of the Senate, or his designee;
3    (2) the Speaker of the House or his designee;
4    (3) the Minority Leader of the Senate or her designee;
5    (4) the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives or
6    his designee
7    (5) a representative appointed by the Department of Public
8    Health;
9    (6) a representative appointed by the Department of
10    Agriculture;
11    (7) a representative appointed by the Department of Natural
12    Resources;
13    (8) a representative appointed by the Illinois State
14    Veterinary Medical Association;
15    (9) a representative appointed by the Illinois
16    Environmental Council;
17    (10) a representative who is a county animal control
18    administrator from a county of over 4 million residents;
19    (11) a representative who is on the Board of the Alliance
20    for Contraception in Cats & Dogs (ACCD) appointed by the
21    University of Illinois School of Veterinary Medicine;
22    (12) a representative appointed by Best Friends Animal
23    Society;
24    (13) a representative appointed by the Illinois Farm
25    Bureau;
26    (14) a representative appointed by the Illinois Humane

 

 

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1    Society;
2    (15) a representative appointed by the Illinois Chapter of
3    the Sierra Club;
4    (16) a representative appointed by the Illinois Audubon
5    Society;
6    (17) a representative appointed by the Illinois Wildlife
7    Society who is a certified wildlife biologist;
8    (18) a representative appointed by the County Animal
9    Controls of Illinois who is currently employed as an Animal
10    Control Administrator or an Animal Control Warden in a
11    county with a population of less than 2 million; and
12    (19) a representative from the Tree House Humane Society;
13    and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That the Task Force members shall select a
15Chairperson from among themselves; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That appointments to the Task Force must be made
17by December 31, 2016; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall hold at least two
19hearings, which shall be held in geographically separate
20regions of the State; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That the Task Force members shall receive no
22compensation, and shall conclude all business by March 1, 2017;

 

 

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1and be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That the Department of Public Health shall
3provide administrative support to the Task Force; and be it
4further
 
5    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
6delivered to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the
7House, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority
8Leader of the House of Representatives."