Animal cruelty legislation, Senate Bill 46 cleared the South Dakota Senate Ag Committee this week.  South Dakota Cattlemen Association’s Executive Director Jodie Anderson says she’s pleased it was passed and is hopeful it’ll make it through the rest of the legislative process. She says it was time for the law to be updated.

Anderson says the measure was carefully worked out between all the groups involved and provided for proper penalties for animal abuse and still protected animal production practices.

Anderson says if this measure can get approved the full legislature and signed by the Governor will be a good defense mechanism against activist groups who want to dismantle production agriculture.

The legislation next goes to the full Senate for its consideration.