New York Senate Bill S04633

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/10/25
• Refer: 2/10/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Relates to adding animal fighting as a criminal act when referring to enterprise corruption.

Summary

This bill amends New York’s enterprise corruption statute to include animal fighting offenses as predicate criminal acts. Specifically, it adds a reference to subdivision 2 of section 351 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, which covers animal fighting, to the list of felonies that can be used to establish enterprise corruption under Penal Law section 460.10. The bill is narrowly drafted and does not create a new standalone animal-fighting crime; instead, it expands the range of offenses that may support a broader organized-crime prosecution. By making animal fighting a qualifying predicate offense, the bill would allow prosecutors to treat organized animal fighting activity as part of an enterprise corruption case, potentially increasing penalties and investigative tools available in those cases. The change would affect the Penal Law’s enterprise corruption provisions and could have implications for individuals or groups involved in organized animal fighting operations, as well as law enforcement and prosecutors seeking to connect such conduct to larger criminal enterprises. The available record shows no committee transcripts and no recorded votes, so there is no documented debate or formal legislative sentiment in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a targeted anti-crime enforcement expansion rather than a controversial broad policy change. Because there is no discussion history, there are no specific recorded points of contention in the provided materials. The main legal issue is the scope of enterprise corruption predicates: supporters would likely view the bill as a tool to better combat organized animal fighting, while any concerns would likely center on whether the expansion is necessary or how broadly enterprise corruption charges might be applied.

Impact

The bill would amend Penal Law section 460.10, which defines predicate felonies for enterprise corruption, by adding animal fighting offenses under Agriculture and Markets Law section 351(2). This would make organized animal fighting conduct eligible to serve as a predicate act in enterprise corruption prosecutions, potentially increasing exposure to racketeering-style charges and associated penalties for those involved in coordinated animal fighting operations. It does not alter the underlying animal-fighting offense itself, but it broadens how that offense can be used within New York’s organized-crime framework.

Sentiment

There is no recorded committee discussion or vote history in the provided materials, so no direct legislative sentiment can be measured from debate or roll call. The bill’s caption and text suggest a law-enforcement-oriented measure aimed at strengthening prosecution of organized animal fighting, and nothing in the record indicates opposition or amendment activity. On that basis, the available materials imply a straightforward, targeted enforcement proposal with no documented controversy in the supplied history.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided transcripts or votes because none are available. The only likely area of debate, based on the bill’s structure, would be whether animal fighting should be treated as a predicate offense for enterprise corruption, thereby enabling more serious organized-crime charges. Any disagreement would likely involve prosecutors and animal-welfare advocates favoring the change versus those concerned about expanding enterprise corruption predicates or charging discretion.