S‑0407.2 _____________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5730
_____________________________________________
State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By Senators Patterson, Kohl‑Welles, Fairley, Costa, Thibaudeau, Finkbeiner, Regala, Kline and Carlson
Read first time 02/01/2001. Referred to Committee on Agriculture & International Trade.
_1 AN ACT Relating to egg-laying birds; amending RCW 69.25.070;
_2 adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW; creating a new section;
_3 and prescribing penalties.
_4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
_5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds and declares that:
_6 (1) The Salmonella enteritidis (Se) bacteria in shell eggs has
_7 increasingly been implicated as a primary cause of foodborne
_8 illness in Washington;
_9 (2) Salmonella bacteria can cause a variety of serious health
10 problems, including flu-like symptoms, bloodstream infections,
11 arthritis, meningitis, and sometimes death;
12 (3) Once infected, chickens can pass the pathogen directly from
13 their ovaries to the contents of the eggs they lay;
14 (4) Forcing egg-laying hens to molt includes withholding food
15 from the hens for up to fourteen days and withholding water from
16 the hens for up to three days;
17 (5) The practice of forcing the molting of egg-laying hens can
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_1 contribute to increased Salmonella levels because the birds'
_2 immune systems become severely impaired by prolonged food and
_3 water deprivation;
_4 (6) Many egg-laying hens in Washington undergo forced molting;
_5 and
_6 (7) Regulation of forced molting practices by the department of
_7 health is essential for the preservation of the public's health.
_8 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.70
_9 RCW to read as follows:
10 (1) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this
11 section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
12 (a) "Harm" means physical injury or a stress reaction
13 including, but not limited to, the following: A compromised immune
14 system, rapid weight loss, cannibalism, reduction in appetite,
15 feather-picking, excessive drinking, and unresponsiveness.
16 (b) "Induced or forced molt" means to artificially manipulate a
17 bird's processes normally associated with seasonal feather loss
18 and regrowth for the purposes of manipulating egg production and
19 the economics of production.
20 (2) No egg handler may negligently deprive any bird used for
21 egg-laying purposes of clean water or nutritious food or otherwise
22 cause an induced or forced molt that results in harm to the egg-
23 laying bird.
24 (3) A person who violates this section is subject to the
25 penalties provided for in this chapter. Whenever a person has
26 violated this section, the department of health must notify the
27 department of agriculture of the violation so that the department
28 of agriculture may take appropriate action under RCW 69.25.070.
29 (4) The department of health may adopt rules as necessary to
30 implement this section.
31 Sec. 3. RCW 69.25.070 and 1975 1st ex.s. c 201 s 8 are each
32 amended to read as follows:
33 The department may deny, suspend, revoke, or issue a license or
34 a conditional license if it determines that an applicant or
35 licensee has committed any of the following acts:
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_1 (1) That the applicant or licensee is violating or has violated
_2 any of the provisions of this chapter or rules ((and
regulations))
_3 adopted thereunder or violated section 2 of this act.
_4 (2) That the application contains any materially false or
_5 misleading statement or involves any misrepresentation by any
_6 officer, agent, or employee of the applicant.
_7 (3) That the applicant or licensee has concealed or withheld
_8 any facts regarding any violation of this chapter by any officer,
_9 agent, or employee of the applicant or licensee.
‑‑‑ END ‑‑‑
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