HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  SB 5036

             As Reported By House Committee on:

               Agriculture & Rural Development

Title:  An act relating to a livestock market net worth requirement.

Brief Description:  Establishing a livestock market net worth requirement.

Sponsor(s):  Senators Barr, Conner, Bailey and Hansen.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Agriculture & Rural Development, March 26, 1991, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

AGRICULTURE & RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Rayburn, Chair; Kremen, Vice Chair; Nealey, Ranking Minority Member; P. Johnson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chandler; Grant; R. Johnson; McLean; Rasmussen; and Roland.

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:  No person may operate a public livestock market without obtaining a license for the activity from the director of the Department of Agriculture.  A separate type of license is required for conducting a special open consignment horse sale.  A farmer's sales of his or her own livestock on the farmer's own premises are exempted from licensure requirements.  A special permit is required for a producer's occasional or seasonal sales of purebred livestock conducted away from the premises of the producer and for an association's occasional and seasonal sales of its members' livestock.

Summary of Bill:  A new standard is expressly established for guiding the director of the Department of Agriculture's review of the detailed statement of an applicant's assets and liabilities which must, under current law, accompany an application for a public livestock market license or for the renewal of such a license.  The statement must reflect that the applicant has a sufficient net worth to construct or operate a public livestock market.

An operator of a public livestock market may refuse to accept the consignment of any livestock which the operator believes to have been inadequately fed or cared for before being delivered to the market.

The director must establish by rule the frequency at which the days assigned to a saleyard for sales must be used for conducting sales.  The director may revoke an operator's license if the licensee fails to conduct sales on the sales days allocated to the licensee.  A hearing must be conducted before the license is revoked.

An operator of a public livestock market or open consignment horse sale may, upon request, allow the announcement of the correct and accurate name of the consignor of cattle or horses being presented for sale.

Fiscal Note:  Requested March 14, 1991.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  It is not clear under current law whether an operator of a public livestock market may refuse to accept for sale an animal that has been neglected or abused.  This bill will grant the operator that authority. 

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Ronald Mariotti, Washington Livestock Market Association; and Mike Willis, Department of Agriculture.