AN ACT Relating to establishing a state meat inspection program; adding a new chapter to Title 16 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

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

(1) "Custom meat facility" means a facility operated by a person under this chapter licensed to prepare meat food animals and meat food birds for intrastate consumption in Washington.

(2) "Department" means the Washington state department of agriculture.

(3) "License" means an annual authorization from the department issued under this chapter that allows the holder to operate a custom meat facility.

(4) "Meat food animal" includes the following animal classifications: Bovine, porcine, ovine, equine, or hircine.

(5) "Meat food bird" includes chickens, ducks, geese, ratites such as ostriches, emus, and rheas, and similar birds.

(6) "Official establishment" means an establishment operated for the purpose of preparing meat for human consumption in compliance with chapter 16.49 RCW.

(7) "Prepared" means smoked, salted, rendered, boned, cut, or otherwise processed.

(8) "Uninspected meat" means the carcasses or carcass parts of meat food animals or meat food birds that have been slaughtered by the owner of the animals or birds.

(9) "Washington inspected meat" means the carcasses or carcass parts of meat food animals or meat food birds that have been inspected at establishments subject to inspection under chapter 16.49 RCW.

(2) Application for a license or a license renewal must be made on a form prescribed by the department and accompanied by a twenty-five dollar license fee. The application must include:

(a) The full name and address of the applicant, and if the applicant is a partnership or corporation, the full name and address of each partner or officer;

(b) The physical location address of each establishment or facility to be licensed;

(c) The name and address of a resident of this state authorized to accept legal notices for the applicant; and

(d) Any other information prescribed by the department.

(3) Initial issuance of a license requires a prelicense inspection by the department for compliance with this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter. A license may only be issued after an applicant is found to be in substantial compliance with this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter.

(4) Unless designated otherwise by the department, licenses issued under this chapter expire June 30th of each year.

(5) Licenses issued under this chapter are not transferrable.

(6) All license fees collected under this section must be deposited in the meat inspection account created in section 9 of this act.

(1) Requirements for construction, equipment, cleaning, sanitation, and sanitary practices related to a custom meat facility to ensure sanitary operations;

(2) Requirements for identification or tagging of meat food animals slaughtered by licensees to maintain identification of the animal;

(3) Requirements for handling and storing meats and meat products;

(4) Requirements for labeling meat and meat products; and

(5) Requirements for slaughtering and processing meat food birds by licensees.

(2) The department may also inspect the mobile unit of any custom farm slaughterer or custom meat facility at any reasonable time to determine compliance with this chapter and the rules adopted under this chapter.

(a) Refused, neglected, or failed to comply with the provisions of this chapter, the rules adopted under this chapter, or any lawful order of the department;

(b) Refused, neglected, or failed to keep and maintain records required under this chapter, or rules adopted under this chapter, or to make the records available to the department on request; or

(c) Refused the department access to any custom meat facilities or parts of the facilities for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter.

(2) A person may request a hearing under chapter 34.05 RCW upon receipt of notice by the department to deny, suspend, or revoke a license.

(a) Operate a custom meat facility in this state without first obtaining a license from the department under this chapter; and

(b) Interfere with the department in the performance of the department's duties under this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter.

(2) Any person who fails to comply with this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter may be subject to a civil penalty in an amount of not more than one thousand dollars per violation per day. Each violation is a separate and distinct offense.

(3) All moneys collected for civil penalties under this chapter must be deposited in the meat inspection account, created in section 9 of this act, to be used solely for the implementation of this chapter.

(2) Nothing in this chapter prohibits the operator of a custom meat facility from also being licensed to prepare and sell inspected meat out-of-state.

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