Montgomery, AL – An Alabama Senate Committee has approved proposed legislation that increases the fine for cockfighting from $50 to a $6,000 and as much as a year in jail.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 9-1 Wednesday for the bill. The sponsor, Republican Sen. Cam Ward of Alabaster, said the penalty needs to be increased because the fine is more for a person speeding on the way to a cockfighting match than for fighting the birds.
The bill now goes to the full Senate.
Ward said one reason he is pushing for the legislation is that other states have adopted tougher penalties, which has caused many matches to relocate into Alabama.
Mindy Gilbert, state director of the Humane Society of the U.S., said the penalty should be high for ``organized animal fighting.''
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)