Speaking of animal legislation

Governor Beebe said Thursday that he tends to favor a first-offense felony animal-cruelty law. Such legislation was considered in 2007. SB777 (Sen. Madison) passed the Senate but failed to get out of the House Agriculture committee. A competing bill written by the Farm Bureau passed the House but didn't make its way out of Senate Judiciary (HB2788). The panelties in the latter bill make animal cruelty a Class A Misdemeanor on the first offense, and a felony on any subsequent offense within five years. The governor says in this Arkansas Democrat Gazette article that he'll try to persuade the Arkansas Farm Bureau to agree to a first offense felony bill.