Saturday, March 5, 2011

Dogs, Snakes & The Senate

Dogs who want to legally accompany their owners who eat on outdoor patios at restaurants won a major battle today as the state Senate passed Senate Bill 11, sponsored by Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe. The vote was 29-11.

The Senate had sat on this bill for so long, I thought it probably wasn't going to get a floor hearing. It was the very first Senate bill to make it through committees this session. But word is that some Senate leaders thought it might look frivolous if  this was among the fist Senate bills to pass.
Photo by Diane Kinderwater

But apparently the Senate decided to have a little fun with the bill anyway. Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, suggested restaurants should have to supply fire hydrants for the dining doggies.

And Sen. Bill Sharer, R-Farmington tried to amend the bill to include snakes and other pets. His "expert witness," who was allowed on the Senate floor was a small ball python named Petunia, aka Kaa Dela Selva. The amendment didn't get anywhere.

The bill goes on to the House.