---
type: "Bill"
title: "ANIMAL CONTROL-DOG AT LARGE"
description: "Amends the Animal Control Act. Provides that the owner of an intact dog is guilty of a Class 4 felony if the owner allows the dog to run at large in violation of the Act and the dog inflicts serious physical injury to a person."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "94th"
identifier: "HB 4238"
citation: "Illinois HB 4238 (94th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 66
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2005-12-09"
last_action: "2006-05-31"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/e5c6388a-a572-45b9-9c63-2ab5d9596cfb"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=4238&GAID=8&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=22335&SessionID=50&GA=94"
source_hash: "e3a03b222391308a331ca739e4a48a1e8450349a5185f28153454b0595d356dc"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois HB 4238 (94th) — ANIMAL CONTROL-DOG AT LARGE

Amends the Animal Control Act. Provides that the owner of an intact dog is guilty of a Class 4 felony if the owner allows the dog to run at large in violation of the Act and the dog inflicts serious physical injury to a person.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09400HB4238&GA=94&SessionId=50&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=22335&DocNum=4238&GAID=8&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09400HB4238eng&GA=94&SessionId=50&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=22335&DocNum=4238&GAID=8&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09400HB4238enr&GA=94&SessionId=50&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=22335&DocNum=4238&GAID=8&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **57–0** (pass) · upper
- Concurrence, Amendment 2 — **113–0** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **95–17** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Edward D. Maloney — cosponsor (person)
- Mike Boland — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2005-12-09** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Mike Boland `filing`
- **2006-01-04** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2006-01-04** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2006-01-05** Assigned to Agriculture & Conservation Committee `referral-committee`
- **2006-01-18** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia
- **2006-01-24** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Agriculture & Conservation Committee `amendment-introduction`
- **2006-01-24** House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Agriculture & Conservation Committee; by Voice Vote `amendment-passage`
- **2006-01-31** Remains in Agriculture & Conservation Committee
- **2006-01-31** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Michael Tryon
- **2006-02-08** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Mark H. Beaubien, Jr.
- **2006-02-14** House Committee Amendment No. 2 Filed with Clerk by Agriculture & Conservation Committee `amendment-introduction`
- **2006-02-14** House Committee Amendment No. 2 Adopted in Agriculture & Conservation Committee; by Voice Vote `amendment-passage`
- **2006-02-14** Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Agriculture & Conservation Committee; 014-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2006-02-14** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2006-02-21** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2006-02-21** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2006-02-28** Recalled to Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2006-02-28** Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2006-02-28** House Floor Amendment No. 3 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Mike Boland `amendment-introduction`
- **2006-02-28** House Floor Amendment No. 3 Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2006-02-28** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Patricia R. Bellock
- **2006-03-01** House Floor Amendment No. 3 Rules Refers to Agriculture & Conservation Committee
- **2006-03-01** House Floor Amendment No. 3 Recommends Be Adopted Agriculture & Conservation Committee; 014-000-000 `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2006-03-02** House Floor Amendment No. 3 Adopted by Voice Vote `amendment-passage`
- **2006-03-02** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2006-03-03** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Eddie Washington
- **2006-03-03** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Joseph M. Lyons
- **2006-03-03** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Maria Antonia Berrios
- **2006-03-03** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 095-017-002 `reading-3, passage`
- **2006-03-07** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2006-03-07** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading `reading-1`
- **2006-03-07** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Don Harmon
- **2006-03-07** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2006-03-07** Referred to Rules `referral-committee`
- **2006-03-08** Assigned to Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2006-03-14** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Dan Cronin
- **2006-03-15** Held in Judiciary
- **2006-03-15** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. William E. Peterson
- **2006-03-21** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Don Harmon `amendment-introduction`
- **2006-03-21** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules `referral-committee`
- **2006-03-24** Do Pass Judiciary; 010-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2006-03-24** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 27, 2006
- **2006-03-27** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2006-03-27** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading March 28, 2006
- **2006-03-28** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Don Harmon `amendment-introduction`
- **2006-03-28** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules `referral-committee`
- **2006-03-29** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to Judiciary
- **2006-03-29** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommend Do Adopt Judiciary; 010-000-000
- **2006-03-30** Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Edward D. Maloney
- **2006-03-30** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Pamela J. Althoff
- **2006-03-30** Recalled to Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2006-03-30** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Adopted; Harmon `amendment-passage`
- **2006-03-30** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading
- **2006-03-30** Third Reading - Passed; 057-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2006-03-30** Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Tabled Pursuant to Rule 5-4(a) `amendment-failure`
- **2006-03-30** Arrived in House `introduction`
- **2006-03-30** Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence Senate Amendment(s) 2
- **2006-04-03** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion Filed Concur Rep. Mike Boland
- **2006-04-03** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2006-04-04** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Recommends be Adopted Rules Committee; 004-000-000
- **2006-04-04** Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 House Concurs 113-000-000
- **2006-04-04** Passed Both Houses
- **2006-05-03** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2006-05-31** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2006-05-31** Effective Date May 31, 2006
- **2006-05-31** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 94-0819 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/e5c6388a-a572-45b9-9c63-2ab5d9596cfb`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).