Senate Bill 77 by Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville, which would make aggravated cruelty to a dog, cat or horse a felony, was reassigned this morning to the House Judiciary Committee. House Speaker Robbie Wills said yesterday’s assignment of the bill to the House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development was an error.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel apparently spoke too soon when he said last week the animal cruelty bill he supports should have no trouble getting through the House Judiciary Committee.

Soon the Senate approved Senate Bill 77 today, House Speaker Robbie Wills assigned the  bill by Sen. Sue Madison, D-Fayetteville, to the House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development — not to the judiciary committee as McDaniel had expected.

Madison filed a similar bill in 2007 to make aggravated cruelty to dogs, cats and horses a felony on first offense. It also passed the Senate and also went to the House Agriculture Committee, where it died. Madison’s new bill has an advantage over that bill, however: It has the endorsement of the powerful Arkansas Farm Bureau, which opposed the 2007 version.