STATEHOUSE (Jan. 6, 2026) – State Rep. Dave Hall (R-Norman) recently introduced legislation to ensure that healthy dogs and cats used in research labs have the opportunity to be adopted.
Hall said other states including Iowa and Michigan have passed similar laws. His bill would make sure dogs and cats have the chance to be part of a family after they are out of a laboratory environment.
"These animals give so much in the name of scientific research, and they deserve a full life once that work is done," Hall said. "This legislation ensures that dogs and cats who have been part of research studies can find the love and care they've earned."
Hall authored a similar bill last session that unanimously passed the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee before passing the House of Representatives. The bill did not move forward in the Senate.
The bill, nicknamed "Sunny's Bill," is named after a beagle owned by Samantha Chapman, state director for the U.S. Humane Society, who was one of 4,000 rescued from a breeding facility in Virginia in 2022.
House Bill 1203 was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. If passed by committee the bill would move to the full House of Representatives for consideration.
To learn more about the bill and follow session, visit iga.in.gov.
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State Rep. Dave Hall (R-Norman) represents House District 62,
which includes all of Brown County, and portions of Monroe and Jackson counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
PHOTO CAPTION: State Rep. Dave Hall (R-Norman) pictured with Sunny, the namesake of "Sunny's Bill," HB 1203.
