Arizona House passes bill protecting people who rescue kids and/or pets from hot cars

AFP PHOTO / DPA / MATTHIAS HIEKEL +++ GERMANY OUT (MATTHIAS HIEKEL/AFP/Getty Images via 12News)

AFP PHOTO / DPA / MATTHIAS HIEKEL +++ GERMANY OUT (MATTHIAS HIEKEL/AFP/Getty Images via 12News)

The House has joined the Senate in voting to provide lawsuit protections for people who break into cars to rescue children or pets.

The House approved House Bill 2494 by Republican Sen. John Kavanagh on a 35-20 vote Wednesday. Kavanagh revived it after it failed to get a House committee hearing. The Senate approved it for a second time on a 20-7 vote in April.

The so-called “Good Samaritan bill” will eliminate liability for people who break car windows in order to rescue children or pets who have been left in hot cars.

According to the bill, citizens would have to call police first and have a “good faith belief” that the person or pet was in danger.

The vote sends the measure to Gov. Doug Ducey’s desk for consideration.

 

Ducey mentioned the proposal in January’s state of the state address and said he will sign the bill if it hits his desk.

Republican Rep. Eddie Farnsworth said the bill is unneeded because of good Samaritan laws already in place and it wrongly raises animals to the level and rights of children.