BILL REQ. #:  H-3518.1 

Read first time 01/22/14.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to the development of a proposed policy option for achieving the goal of electronically reporting intrastate transfers of ownership of livestock as a means to increase participation in the animal disease traceability program; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The director of the department of agriculture must develop a proposed policy option or options for achieving the goal of electronically reporting intrastate transfers of ownership of livestock by producers as a means to increase participation in the animal disease traceability program.
     (2) The director of the department of agriculture must fulfill the requirements of subsection (1) of this section in coordination with the full range of stakeholders subject to brand inspections. At a minimum, this must include soliciting participation from equine, bovine, and other industry associations.
     (3) The director of the department of agriculture, together with invited stakeholders, must propose a system of animal disease traceability that contains the following elements:
     (a) Electronic transfer of data that individually identifies animals;
     (b) An outreach program to encourage participation in reporting;
     (c) Random and report-driven inspections to ensure compliance; and
     (d) Penalties for failure to report transfer of ownership.
     (4) The electronic reporting system proposal developed under this section must be a voluntary alternative to the use of traditional brand inspections and may not preclude the use of the traditional brand inspection as it currently exists.
     (5) By November 1, 2014, the director of the department of agriculture must issue a report to the legislature consistent with RCW 43.01.036 that contains implementation plans, recommendations, and any necessary legislation related to the proposal required to be developed under this section.
     (6) This section expires June 30, 2015.