17104940D
SENATE BILL NO. 959

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology

on January 30, 2017)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Spruill)

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 55-248.16:1 relating to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; responsibility of tenant; abandoned animals; penalty.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 55-248.16:1 as follows:

§55-248.16:1. Tenant responsibility; abandoned animal; penalty.

A. In addition to the obligations set out in §55-248.16, the tenant shall not abandon a companion animal either during the tenancy or after the tenant vacates the dwelling unit. The penalty for such abandonment shall be as set out in §3.2-6504.

B. As used in this section:

"Abandon" means the same as that term is defined in §3.2-6500.

"Companion animal" means the same as that term is defined in §3.2-6500.