SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 6101

   AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, FEBRUARY 3, 1994

Brief Description:  Regulating custom slaughtering and custom meat facility licenses.

SPONSORS: Senators M. Rasmussen, Newhouse and Snyder; by request of Department of Agriculture

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6101 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

     Signed by Senators M. Rasmussen, Chairman; Loveland, Vice Chairman; Anderson, Bauer, Morton, Newhouse and Snyder.

Staff:  Bob Lee (786‑7404)

Hearing Dates: February 3, 1994

BACKGROUND:

A person who is engaged in the business of slaughtering animals for the owner of the animals or in preparing uninspected meat for the consumption of the owner of the meat must be licensed by the Department of Agriculture.  A violation of the laws governing the activities of such persons is a gross misdemeanor.  The Director of Agriculture may suspend or revoke a license under certain circumstances. 

The preparation and sale of poultry products are regulated by the Department of Agriculture under the Wholesome Poultry Products Act.  A person who violates a provision of the act or rules adopted under the act is guilty of a misdemeanor.  If a person commits a second violation within five years of being convicted of violating the act, the person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor. 

SUMMARY:

In addition to being able to suspend or revoke a license for custom slaughtering and custom meats, the Director of Agriculture may also establish conditions of probation for a designated period of time. 

A new civil penalty of not more than $1,000 per day of violation is established for violations of the laws governing custom slaughtering and custom meats and for violations of the Wholesome Poultry Products Act. 

All violations, not just repeated violations within five years, are gross misdemeanors under the Poultry Products Act.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Either the civil penalty or the criminal penalty can be imposed but not both.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

It is difficult to get county prosecutors to take action on nonviolent offenses, so authority to impose a civil penalty and to establish a probation period is needed.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Clarence Siroky, WSDA