SB 102: Dogfighting; revise provisions

Georgia currently criminalizes dogfighting under O.C.G.A. § 16-12-37, but the law does not explicitly address cockfighting. This bill rewrites that section to make training, transporting, selling, or fighting a game cock for amusement or gain a felony, just like dogfighting already is. It also adds a new crime: knowingly possessing, buying, or selling equipment meant for training or facilitating dog or game cock fighting, which becomes a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. The bill also expands the spectator crime to cover anyone who causes or permits a minor to be present at a dogfight or cockfight, and lets judges bar convicted offenders from owning or controlling animals of the species involved in their conviction. A related section updates Georgia's exotic animal registration law (O.C.G.A. § 4-8-27) so that a game cock fighting felony conviction, like a dogfighting one, disqualifies someone from holding a wildlife or exotic animal certificate. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it and would apply to offenses committed on or after that date.

• Extends Georgia's dogfighting felony law to cover game cock fighting, including owning, training, transporting, or selling a game cock for fighting.
• Creates a new misdemeanor for knowingly possessing, buying, or selling equipment or materials intended for training or facilitating dog or game cock fighting.
• Expands the spectator misdemeanor to include anyone who causes or permits a minor (under 18) to be present at a dog or game cock fight.
• Lets a court, as part of sentencing, prohibit a convicted offender from owning or controlling any animal of the species involved in the offense.
• Adds charging an admission fee for a dog or game cock fighting exhibition to the list of promotion-related felony conduct.
• Updates the exotic animal certificate law (O.C.G.A. § 4-8-27) so a game cock fighting felony conviction disqualifies someone from registration, matching the existing dogfighting disqualification.

People who own, breed, train, transport, or sell dogs or game cocks for fighting; spectators at fighting events, including anyone who brings a minor; sellers or possessors of fighting-related training equipment; and holders or applicants of Georgia's exotic and wild animal certificates of registration.

Georgia's dogfighting law previously did not explicitly reach cockfighting or the sale of fighting equipment. This bill closes those gaps, adds felony-level consequences for cockfighting, and creates new tools like animal-ownership bans and equipment possession charges that prosecutors could use against people involved in organized animal fighting.

• Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 16-12-37 to define 'game cock' and 'fighting related objects' and extends existing dogfighting felony penalties to game cock fighting.
• Felony penalties remain imprisonment of one to five years and a fine of at least $5,000 for a first offense, rising to one to ten years and at least $15,000 for later offenses.
• Section 1 adds a new misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature for knowingly possessing, purchasing, or selling equipment intended for use in dog or game cock fighting.
• Section 1 expands the spectator offense to include anyone who causes or permits a minor to be present at a fight, keeping the tiered misdemeanor-then-felony penalty structure.
• Section 1 allows courts to bar convicted offenders from owning or controlling animals of the relevant species as part of sentencing.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 4-8-27 so a game cock fighting felony conviction disqualifies a person from receiving a wildlife or exotic animal certificate of registration, matching current treatment of dogfighting convictions.
• Section 3 makes the law effective upon the Governor's signature and applies it to offenses committed on or after that date.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2025-03-27House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
3. 2025-02-24House Second Readers (House)
4. 2025-02-21House First Readers (House)
5. 2025-02-20Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
6. 2025-02-20Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2025-02-12Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2025-02-11Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)

• Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)Primary sponsor
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-52)
• Rick Williams (R, SD-25)
• John Albers (R, SD-56)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-11)
• Max Burns (R, SD-23)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-3)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-16)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-19)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 20, 2025

   49 yea, 3 nay (0 not voting, 4 excused)

   PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #71

• dogfighting
• cockfighting
• animal cruelty laws
• criminal penalties
• animal welfare