H-1022.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1726
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By Representatives Cooper, Haigh, Kirby, Miloscia, Dickerson, Dunshee, Delvin, Lovick, Wood, Hurst and Murray
Read first time 02/01/2001. Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Ecology.
AN ACT Relating to the treatment of laying hens; adding a new chapter to Title 16 RCW; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that:
(1) Commercial egg production is a source of food and laying hens must be kept in conditions that promote public health;
(2) The confinement of laying hens in battery cages is unnecessarily cruel and promotes the production of contaminated eggs;
(3) The deliberate withholding of food and water to laying hens for the purpose of increasing or extending egg production is unnecessarily cruel; and
(4) Chickens are sentient creatures such that we have an obligation to ensure that they are not confined or treated in a manner that produces unnecessary suffering.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Battery cage" means a cage used for the confinement of laying hens.
(2) "Debeaking" means to remove the beak, or portion thereof, of the laying hen.
(3) "Forced molting" means the deliberate withholding of food or water to a laying hen for the purpose of increasing or extending egg production.
(4) "Laying hen" means a live female chicken kept for commercial egg production.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) A person may not confine laying hens in battery cages.
(2) A person may not subject a laying hen to forced molting.
(3) A person may not remove the beak, or any portion thereof, of a laying hen.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A person may not confine a laying hen without providing the laying hen, on a daily basis, access to natural light and the opportunity to engage in natural behaviors including, but not limited to, walking, perching, dirt scratching, stretching wings, and dust bathing.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A person who knowingly violates section 3 (1), (2), or (3) of this act is guilty of a misdemeanor.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) Any person or entity who believes that any person or entity has or is violating this chapter may seek injunctive relief to prevent any continued violation.
(2) The prevailing party in an action for injunctive relief under this section is entitled to recover reasonable costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. This chapter applies to commercial egg production and operations that are required to be licensed under chapter 69.25 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 7 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 16 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. This act takes effect January 1, 2005.
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