John Kavanagh was the prime sponsor of all bills listed below. In addition to his successful efforts to pass animal protection measures, he also has worked to stop several damaging bills. In a bipartisan effort, Representative Kavanagh and Senator Steve Farley spoke out against legislation that would have removed farm animals, including horses, from protection under Arizona’s animal cruelty law. Thanks to their efforts, the bill died. Kavanagh helped kill a similar detrimental bill introduced the next year. He also has cosponsored a bipartisan measure with Representative Amish Shah to ban the inhumane, unnecessary practice of declawing cats. Kavanagh sponsored and passed a bill that prohibits insurance companies from raising rates or denying people homeowners’ insurance based solely on the breed of dog they keep. And he passed legislation that provides over half a million dollars to fund crucial spay and neuter surgeries throughout Arizona. In 2024 Kavanagh sponsored and passed a measure that bans betting on simulcast dog racing which includes races in other countries with poor records of animal welfare. Previously Kavanagh sponsored and helped pass the 2016 bill that ended inhumane greyhound racing in Arizona.

2024

SB1260 – dog racing; simulcast wagering; prohibition PASSED

SB1026 – racketeering; cockfighting

SB1200 – veterinarians; malpractice; unprofessional conduct

SB1203 – cosmetics sales; animal testing; prohibitions

SB1204 – animal seizure; notification; bond; offense

2023

SB1067 study committee; animal control standards PASSED

SB1068 NOW police dogs; emergency treatment PASSED

SB1133 appropriation; spaying and neutering fund PASSED

SB1015 unlawful public sale of animals

SB1057 Alpine horse herd; management

SB1059 animal shelter; definition

SB1060 animal owners; definition

SB1086 racketeering; animal fighting; cockfighting

SB1383 veterinarians; malpractice; unprofessional conduct; action

2022

HB2323 homeowner’s insurance; dogs; nondiscrimination PASSED

HB2324 animal fighting; cockfighting; minors presence PASSED

HB2626 animal handling; microchip scan PASSED

HB2014 striker to ban cat declawing

2021

HB2483 animal ownership; possession; prohibition PASSED

HB2484 animal fighting paraphernalia; offense PASSED

HB2012 unauthorized racing meetings; penalties; racketeering PASSED

HB2525 egg-laying hens; confinement regulation (rule passed by AZ Dept of Agriculture in 2022) PASSED

HB2355 animal abuser registration; penalties

2020

HB2062 animal fighting paraphernalia; offense (similar bill passed in 2021)

HB2652 unauthorized racing meetings; penalties; racketeering (similar bill passed in 2021)

HB2172 animal abuser registration; penalties

HB2772 veterinarian licensure; shelter-owned animals

2019

HB2671 animal cruelty; domestic animals; classification PASSED

HB2588 animal abuser registration; penalties

2018

SB1295 animal cruelty; domestic animals; classification (similar bill passed in 2019)

SB1116 driving; animal on lap; prohibition

SB1040 service animals; misrepresentation

2017

SB1001 (striker HB2494) NOW: civil liability; vehicles; minors; animals PASSED

SB1408 counties; municipalities; euthanizing animals PASSED

SB1141 animal abuser registration; registry

2016

SB1448  racing; elimination; hardship tax credit (identical HB2387) PASSED

SB1227 animal cruelty; sentencing; bond

SB 1281 animal cruelty; classification (similar bill passed in 2019)

2015

SB1260 waiting period; applicability; impounded cats PASSED

SB1265  animal cruelty; violation

SB1050  animal abuse; prohibited animal ownership (similar bill passed in 2021)

2014

SB1282 racing omnibus (required reporting of greyhound deaths and injuries) PASSED

HB2020 live animal prizes prohibited

HB2022 animal abuse; prohibited animal ownership (similar bill passed in 2021)

HB2242 commercial dog breeders; pet dealers

2013

HB2121 live animal prizes prohibited

HB2073 animal abuse; prohibited animal ownership (similar bill passed in 2021)