Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/10/25 H3/19/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1611
4
5 By: Representative Gonzales
6 By: Senator Crowell
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF ANIMAL FIGHTING
10 WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFENSE OF UNLAWFUL ANIMAL
11 FIGHTING; TO CREATE THE OFFENSE OF UNLAWFUL ROOSTER
12 FIGHTING; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
13
14
15 Subtitle
16 TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF ANIMAL
17 FIGHTING WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFENSE OF
18 UNLAWFUL ANIMAL FIGHTING; AND TO CREATE
19 THE OFFENSE OF UNLAWFUL ROOSTER
20 FIGHTING.
21
22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
23
24
25 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 5-62-120(f), concerning the definition of
26 "animal fighting" with regard to unlawful animal fighting, is amended to read
27 as follows:
28 (f)(1) As used in this section, "animal fighting" means organized
29 fighting between roosters or other birds or between dogs, bears, or other
30 animals.
31 (2) "Animal fighting" does not include lawful game fowl breeding
32 or exhibition activities that use birds that are part of flocks certified in
33 accordance with United States Department of Agriculture National Poultry
34 Improvement Plan, as it existed on January 1, 2025.
35
36 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 5, Chapter 62, Subchapter 1, is amended
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As Engrossed: H3/10/25 H3/19/25 HB1611
1 to add an additional section to read as follows:
2 5-62-128. Unlawful rooster fighting.
3 (a)(1) A person commits the offense of unlawful rooster fighting in
4 the first degree if he or she knowingly:
5 (A) Organizes, promotes, or profits from rooster fighting;
6 or
7 (B) Receives money for the admission of another person to
8 a location used for rooster fighting.
9 (2) Unlawful rooster fighting in the first degree is a Class D
10 felony.
11 (b)(1) A person commits the offense of unlawful rooster fighting in
12 the second degree if he or she knowingly:
13 (A) Pays to attend a rooster fight; or
14 (B) Participates in watching or carrying out an organized
15 rooster fight.
16 (2) Unlawful rooster fighting in the second degree is a Class A
17 misdemeanor.
18 (c) A person shall not be charged under this section solely for being
19 present near a rooster fight unless there is reasonable cause to believe that
20 the person paid to attend a rooster fight or was a knowing participant in
21 watching or carrying out an organized rooster fight.
22 (d) A rooster shall not be seized by law enforcement under this
23 section solely based on the arrest of a person for violating a provision of
24 this section unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the rooster
25 was used in rooster fighting.
26 (e) If a person is not convicted under this section, any seized
27 rooster shall be immediately returned to the owner.
28 (f) A seized rooster shall not be euthanized unless a licensed
29 veterinarian determines that the rooster is suffering from an untreatable
30 medical condition.
31
32 /s/Gonzales
33
34
35
36
2 03-19-2025 14:30:04 TNL196Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.