Purpose
Expands the criminal classification of bestiality to include visual depictions of a real person engaging in outlined sexual activity with a real animal.
Background
A person commits bestiality by knowingly: 1) engaging in oral sexual contact, sexual contact or sexual intercourse with an animal; or 2) causing another person to engage in oral sexual contact, sexual contact or sexual intercourse with an animal. Bestiality is a class 6 felony, unless the offense involved causing a minor under 15 years old to engage in outlined sexual activity with an animal, in which case it is a class 3 felony punishable as a dangerous crime against children. In addition to any other penalty imposed, the court may order that the convicted person undergo a psychological assessment and participate in appropriate counseling at their own expense, and order the person to reimburse an animal shelter for any reasonable costs incurred for the care of any animal taken to the shelter as a result of the misconduct (A.R.S. ยง 13-1411).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
- Expands the criminal classification of bestiality to include possessing, distributing, transporting, exhibiting, selling, purchasing or electronically transmitting any visual depiction in which a real person is actually engaging in oral sexual contact, sexual contact or sexual intercourse with a real animal.
- Classifies a violation of bestiality in this manner as a class 1 misdemeanor.
- Defines visual depiction as a video or photograph on film or in a digital file format and does not include a video or photograph that is generated using artificial intelligence.
- Makes technical changes.
- Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Additional Committee of the Whole
- Removes receiving and electronically possessing or exchanging visual depictions of bestiality as actions that constitute a bestiality offense.
- Defines visual depiction as a video or photograph on film or in a digital file format and does not include a video or photograph that is generated using artificial intelligence.
