H-0654.2
HOUSE BILL 1519
State of Washington
66th Legislature
2019 Regular Session
ByRepresentatives Shea, McCaslin, Blake, and Chandler
Read first time 01/23/19.Referred to Committee on Innovation, Technology & Economic Development.
AN ACT Relating to restricting cell-cultured meat products; amending RCW 28B.10.620; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 69 RCW; and prescribing penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. This act may be known and cited as the natural meat protection act.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. The legislature finds that there have been recent efforts to develop cell-cultured meat, which is a meat product grown in laboratories from cell cultures of animal muscle or organ tissue. Cell-cultured meat is also known as in vitro meat, lab-grown meat, synthetic meat, or fake meat. There is uncertainty regarding which government entities should appropriately regulate this product and whether the word "meat" is an accurate descriptor in compliance with current laws. The legislature finds that there is insufficient information about cell-cultured meat to authorize its sale safely into the Washington food system.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3. The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Cell-cultured meat product" is any meat product artificially grown from cell cultures of animal muscle or organ tissues.
(2) "Director" means the director of the department of agriculture.
(3) "Person" includes an individual, partnership, corporation, association, or any other entity.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4. (1) A person may not advertise, sell, or offer for sale a cell-cultured meat product in the state of Washington.
(2) State funding may not be appropriated or expended to fund research or development of cell-cultured meat product.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5. (1)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, any person violating any provision of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) A second or subsequent violation is a gross misdemeanor. Any offense committed more than five years after a previous conviction is considered a first offense.
(2) Whenever the director finds that a person has committed a violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, and that violation has not been punished pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the director may impose upon and collect from the violator a civil penalty not exceeding one thousand dollars per violation per day. Each violation is a separate and distinct offense. No civil penalty may be assessed unless the person charged has been given notice and opportunity for a hearing pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW. If the director is unable to collect the civil penalty, the director shall refer the collection to the attorney general.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:
(1) Pursuant to section 4 of this act, the boards of regents of state universities may not expend any state funds, or allow the use of state-funded facilities, for research or development of cell-cultured meat product.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "cell-cultured meat product" has the same meaning as defined in section 3 of this act.
Sec. 7. RCW 28B.10.620 and 1969 ex.s. c 223 s 28B.10.620 are each amended to read as follows:
Except as provided in section 6 of this act, the boards of regents of the state universities are hereby empowered to enter into agreements with corporations organized under chapter((s 24.08, 24.16))24.03 or 24.20 RCW, whereby such corporations may be permitted to conduct on university property devoted mainly to medical, educational, or research activities, under such conditions as the boards of regents shall prescribe, any educational, hospital, research, or related activity which the boards of regents shall find will further the objects of the university.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8. Sections 1 through 5 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 69 RCW.
--- END ---