A Florida lawmaker has filed a bill that would make a felony out of committing animal cruelty during a state of emergency.
On Monday, state Rep. Joel Rudman, R-Navarre, filed legislation ( HB 79 ) that would increase the penalties for animal cruelty from a first-degree misdemeanor to a third-degree felony if the person commits the crime during a declared state of emergency.
Rudman, who is also running for Congress, happened to file his bill almost three months after a 5-year-old bull terrier, now named Trooper, was found tied to a fence along Interstate 75 in Tampa as category 4 Hurricane Milton barreled toward Florida…