Bill filed to add chickens to dogfighting regulations in Georgia
Georgia lawmakers are working on a new piece of legislation that would add the same penalties and regulations to chicken fights as the state's dogfighting bans.
According to Senate Bill 102, senators want to not only ban dog fights but also fights between game cocks, including those related to gambling.
The legislation is straightforward and expands bans on selling or possessing fighting-related objects, as well as the punishments for dogfighting, to include cockfighting and game cocks.
That means if convicted of owning game cocks for fighting, or having fight-related items, you would face the same penalties as dogfighting convicts.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The legislation defines a game cock as 'a domesticated fowl that is bred, reared or trained for the purposes of fighting with other fowl.'
Anyone who uses these birds for fighting to entertainment or monetary gain would be in violation of the bill. The provisions also say anyone who owns or breeds fowls to fight and injure each other would be subject to criminal charges as well.
TRENDING STORIES:
Teenage girl shot at Sandy Springs apartment complex
South Fulton mayor claims it's the city council who's misspending money
'All you have to do is stop:' Mom upset after she says lawmakers are trying to weaken school bus law
Additionally, anyone who wagers on these activities and fights, who advertises them or charges money to view them, would also be subject to potential charges and penalties. Those allowing anyone under 18 years old to be present for these fights as well could be charged with misdemeanors of a high and aggravated nature.
Second convictions and beyond would upgrade to felonies.
The penalties listed include:
Between one to five years of prison and/or a fine up to $5,000 on a first offense
Between one to 10 years of prison and/or a fine up to $15,000 on a second offense
Courts can ban people from owning, or controlling, species their conviction is based on, whether dog or game cock
Those convicted of betting on and/or watching dog or game cock fights, or brings a minor to see one, would face a misdemeanor charge for a first offense. Subsequent second and third offenses or beyond would face similar penalties, including fines up to $5,000 or up to $15,000, respectively, in addition to the jail time.
If passed, and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp into law, the legislation would take effect immediately. Felony animal cruelty charges could also be levied on those in violation of the statutes.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
5-year-old expected to survive after suspected drunk driver runs red light
The 5-year-old girl who was critically injured after a suspected drunk driver ran a red light last week is expected to survive. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] News Center 7 previously reported that the crash was reported in the intersection of Stewart and Main streets before 7:30 p.m. on June 3. TRENDING STORIES: Solicitor doesn't have required permits, resists arrest after reports of suspicious behavior 2 taken to area hospital after wrong-way crash on SR 4 in Huber Heights Conner Smith hits, kills 77-year-old woman walking in crosswalk, police say A Ford F-150 Tremor was traveling south on Main Street when, at East Stewart, it ran a red light and hit the back driver's side of a Honda Odyssey. Three people in the Honda Odyssey, a 33-year-old man, a 9-year-old boy, and a 5-year-old girl, were all taken to the hospital. The 5-year-old was listed in critical condition, and the two others had non-life-threatening injuries. As of Tuesday, the 33-year-old and the 9-year-old have been released from the hospital. The 5-year-old girl is still in the hospital, but is expected to survive, according to a Dayton Police Department spokesperson. The cause of the crash is suspected to be OVI. It is unclear at this time if the driver of the Ford F-150 will be facing charges. We will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2 young children left in hot vehicle at Cumberland Mall, sheriff's office says; father arrested
Officers broke into a hot vehicle at Cumberland Mall on Wednesday to save two young children, the Cobb County Sheriff's Office said. Police responded to the mall parking lot at around 12:56 p.m. after a 911 caller said they saw the young children in a vehicle without any adults nearby. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The kids who were left by themselves were 1 and 2 years old, the sheriff's office said. J'Quawn Dixon, the children's father, was arrested and booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center. He was charged with two counts of second-degree cruelty to children. Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the sheriff department for additional information about this incident. TRENDING STORIES: 'Black Mecca' no longer? Atlanta prices cause families to move out of the city Asian needle ants crawling across US, now found in 20 states, sting cause life-threatening reaction 1 dead after crash on I-75 NB in Cobb County [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
CNN reporter detained during LA protests live on air
Credit: CNN A CNN reporter was detained by police live on air while covering the protests in Los Angeles. Jason Carroll was led away by officers on Monday night with his hands held behind his back, despite identifying himself as a correspondent with the broadcaster. 'I'm being detained… I'm not being arrested, correct officers?' he could be heard saying, as he was taken outside a security perimeter. Mr Carroll, who appears to have been detained for under 30 seconds, said the incident was unusual because police normally 'realise that the press is there doing a job'. 'You take a lot of risks as press – this is low on that sort of scale of risks. But it is something that I wasn't expecting, simply because we've been out here all day,' he said. CNN said two of its security personnel were also briefly detained by the police before being released without charge. Several journalists were shot by officers using non-lethal rounds as they covered the protests over the weekend, including Nick Stern, a British photographer, The New York Post's Toby Canham, and Australian TV reporter Lauren Tomasi. Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, described Ms Tomasi's experience as 'horrific' and said he had raised the issue with the US government. Donald Trump deployed 2,000 members of the National Guard to Los Angeles over the weekend, prompting a power struggle with Gavin Newsom, the California governor, and a further 700 US marines were expected to arrive on Monday night. On Monday, Mr Newsom announced he would sue the Trump administration over the deployments, accusing the US president of seeking to inflame the demonstrations that erupted over immigration raids. 'It's a blatant abuse of power. We will sue to stop this,' he said on social media. 'The Courts and Congress must act. Checks and balances are crumbling. This is a red line – and they're crossing it. Wake up!' However, John Fetterman, the Democrat senator for Pennsylvania, has criticised his party for failing to call out 'anarchy and true chaos', which have seen cars torches and shops looted. 'My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement,' he said. White House sources have said they view the riots as a political opportunity that would put the Democrats on the side of protesters and against the views of the majority of Americans. 'We couldn't script this any better... Democrats are again on the '20' side of an 80-20 issue,' a person close to the administration told Politico. 'We're happy to have this fight,' a White House official quoted by NBC News said. A Trump adviser said the government's response was 'what America voted for' in last year's election, adding: 'This is the America First focus that got the president elected and is driven by nothing else than what he promised American voters.' Tensions have flared elsewhere in the US, with protesters clashing with law enforcement and being arrested in Dallas and Austin at rallies against immigration and customs enforcement (ICE). Mr Trump is also using the opportunity to push his 'one big, beautiful' tax-and-spend bill through the Senate, Axios reported. Republican senators are apparently being told by the president they need to pass the legislation, which is facing an uncertain passage through Congress, to release federal funds for immigration enforcement. 'It's the best BBB [big beautiful bill] marketing ever. It has brought the critical nature of increased border funding and immigration enforcement to the fore,' said Andrew Kolvet, spokesman for conservative group Turning Point USA. He added: 'Everyone we're talking to in the Senate says this put it over the top.' Mr Trump labelled rioters 'insurrectionists', prompting speculation he could invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act, which would allow deployed troops to arrest protesters. Currently, their role is limited to supporting police rather than directly participating in law enforcement. When asked if he would invoke the Insurrection Act, Mr Trump said: 'If there's an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We'll see. But I can tell you, last night was terrible. The night before that was terrible.' Stephen Miller, the deputy White House chief of staff and the architect of Mr Trump's immigration policy, reportedly greenlit the raids on workplaces which sparked the Los Angeles riots. According to The Wall Street Journal, Mr Miller instructed ICE officers to shift the focus from foreign criminals and 'go out there and arrest illegal aliens', to fulfil the president's campaign pledge for mass deportations. He reportedly directed agents to target Home Depot and 7-Eleven convenience stores, asking for a show of hands and asking: 'Who here thinks they can do it?' Officers subsequently raided a Home Depot on Friday in the Westlake neighbourhood of Los Angeles, helping set off days' worth of protests. 'Keeping President Trump's promise to deport illegal aliens is something the administration takes seriously,' said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman. 'We are committed to aggressively and efficiently removing illegal aliens from the United States, including illegal aliens who commit additional crimes once arriving illegally in the United States. 'President Trump's 'one big, beautiful bill' will ensure law enforcement officers have the resources necessary to keep the President's promise. The safety of the American people depends upon this.' On Tuesday, a Pentagon official told a congressional committee that the deployment of the National Guard and US marines to Los Angeles, which has been guaranteed for 60 days, was expected to cost $134 million. Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, special assistant to Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, said most of the funding would be taken up by housing, feeding and transporting troops. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.