Lynn Swearingen (c) copyright 2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Not content with raising taxes 66%, attempting to track down those crazy homeschoolers so they can be “helped”, and sheltering Wisconsin’s missing Democrats (we hear that Indiana’s Dems are on the run as well)  Illinois actually has HB 1166 sitting in Committee right now which will criminalize individuals who own 7 or more “companion animals”.

As usual, one has to dig around a bit to find out just what the terminology contained within the proposed Law means and what the effect might be:

Companion Animal :

(510 ILCS 70/2.01a)
Sec. 2.01a. Companion animal. "Companion animal" means an animal that is commonly considered to be, or is considered by the owner to be, a pet. "Companion animal" includes, but is not limited to, canines, felines, and equines.
(Source: P.A. 92‑454, eff. 1‑1‑02.)

What will change in current law (pdf of HB 1166):

A person must obtain a permit from the Board to possess 7
or more companion animals, as defined in the Humane Care for
Animals Act. Failure to receive a permit for the possession of
7 or more companion animals is a violation of this Section and
a person is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. A second or
subsequent violation is a Class 4 felony with every day that a
violation continues constituting a separate offense.

Who is “The Board” referred to in the above change? More