Legislation Information
Pending Legislation
Type in the word "equine" in the search box to locate bills, (proposed legislation) relating to horses.
Federal Laws
Proposed regs will legalize every inhumane practice identified in the transport of horses to slaughter!
Doubles will be legal for 5 years AFTER the proposed regs go into effect. It has already been 4 1/2 years, that makes for 10 years of the continued use of doubles after this legislation passed..
EPN's Comments
on Proposed Regulations For the 1996 Commercial Transportation of Horses To Slaughter Act
CA Equine Council's
Comments on the Proposed Regulations For the 1996 Commercial Transportation of Horses To Slaughter Act
State Laws
Proposition 6,
The PROHIBITION of Horse Slaughter and Sale of Horsemeat for Human Consumption Act Of 1998, Does Not Violate The Commerce Clause
Horsemeat Laws
1996 Commercial Transportation Of Horses To Slaughter Act
December 7, 2001
Final Rule Commercial Transportation of Horses to Slaughter Act
American Horse Council, American Horse Protection Association, & Humane Society of US
propose to legalize every inhumane practice identified in the transport of horses to slaughter & put the very people identified as the abusers, the "killer buyers" in charge of the horses!
Proposed Regulations For the 1996 Commercial Transportation of Horses To Slaughter Act
USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS
Approval of Livestock Facilities;
Interstate Movement of EIA Reactors
USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, FSIS, Regulations
Biological Residues in Horses;
Slaughter of Foaling Mares;
Slaughter of Sick Horses;
USDA APHIS Humane Slaughter Act
AZ Transport Law
CA Transport Law
CT Transport Law
MA Transport Law
MN Transport Law
NY Transport Law
Ag and Markets, Section 359-a
Horses inside double deck cattle trailer stopped by the NYSP. The owner was later convicted & fined $3000.00.
VA Transport Law
Vermont Transport Law
PA Anti Cruelty Law
Title 18, Section 5511
Sign Posted at PA Horse Auctions is NOT the Law!
Sign outside auctions is incorrect!
Sign posted outside 2 PA horse auctions regarding the PA Anti Cruelty Statute is incorrect! " Maybe the posting of this sign has something to do with "the agreement" that the auctions and the PA SPCA have with each other...
U.S. Anti-Cruelty Statutes
PA Domestic Animal Act
Licensing of Dealers & Haulers
EIA Regulations, Coggins Test
PA Dead Animal Act
Requirements for Removal of Dead Animals
PA Animal Markets
General Provisions
Records
Transactions From Trucks
IL Horsemeat Act
Texas Law
Sale of Horsemeat for Human Consumption
Prohibits Sale of Horsemeat For Human Consumption
Texas Attorney General Cornyn States TX Law
Prohibiting Sale of Horsemeat Applies to the 2 Texas Horse Slaughterhouses!
Links
California Voters "Just Say Neigh" to Horse Slaughter!
HoofPAC
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HoofPAC is the political action committee that has been formed to end the slaughter of America's horses. Cathleen Doyle, founder of HoofPAC, led the successful Save The Horses campaign in 1998 that made the slaughter of California's horses a felony.
Page last revised on:
14 March, 2008
“It’s past time to stop slaughtering horses
in Illinois and sending their meat overseas. I’m proud to sign
this law that finally puts an end to this practice,”
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich on
signing the IL Horse Meat Act banning slaughter in Illinois.
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Horses!
Update March 2008
The pro slaughter forces are hard at
work attempting to repeal the IL Horse Meat Act. They
are using a bill introduced under the auspices of banning
double deck trailers in Illinois as a means to repeal
the Illinois Horse Meat Act. IL HB4489 is
nothong more than a means to repeal the IL Horse Meat
Act.
There is dangerous political actvity
going on in IL with three IL Horse Transport Bills
inroduced in the House. The pro slaughter forces are
going to attempt to attach their repeal language to
any bill that is moving and if there is not careful
observation they will attach it at the last minute.
Senator Conrad Burns successfully gutted the Wild Horse
and Burro Protection Act of 1972 by attaching a rider.
Illinois House Bill 1711
Signed by Governor Rod R. Blagojevich
“It’s
past time to stop slaughtering horses in Illinois
and sending their meat overseas. I’m
proud to sign this law that finally puts an
end to this practice,” -
Governor
Rod R. Blagojevich
“I
am grateful to my colleagues and the Governor
for joining with me in ending this shameless
slaughter of these beautiful animals for
the sole purpose of ensuring fine dining
in European restaurants,”
State
Rep. Robert S. Molaro (D-Chicago)
“People
were selling horses not knowing that they
were being used and treated like livestock
and ended up on the slaughter room floor,” said
Sen. Cullerton.
State Sen.
John Cullerton (D-Chicago)
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IL HB 1171 repealed,
amended and changed several sections of Illinois
law regarding horses including requirements for
Equine Infectious Anemia, EIA testing, regulations
regarding storage, handling, shipping of horse
meat, laws regarding the selling of sick, lame,
and debilitated horses, and prohibiting the slaughter
of horses in Illinois.
Listed below is the IL HB 1171
and the IL Horse Meat Act . |
IL
HB 1171 of 2007 - Signed into law on May
24, 2007 becoming Public Act 095-0002
AN ACT concerning horses.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of
Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Horse Meat Act is
amended by adding Section 1.5 as follows:
(225 ILCS 635/1.5 new)
Sec. 1.5. Slaughter for human consumption unlawful.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, it is unlawful for any person to slaughter
a horse if that person
knows or should know that any of the horse meat
will be used
for human consumption.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, it is
unlawful for any person to possess, to import
into or export
from this State, or to sell, buy, give away,
hold, or accept
any horse meat if that person knows or should
know that the
horse meat will be used for human consumption.
(c) Any person who knowingly violates any of
the provisions
of this Section is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
(d) This Section shall not apply to:
(1) Any commonly accepted noncommercial, recreational,
or sporting activity.
(2) Any existing laws which relate to horse
taxes or
zoning. (3)
The processing of food producing animals
other than
those of the equine genus.
(225 ILCS 635/14 rep.) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par.
253)
Section 7. The
Illinois Horse Meat Act is amended by repealing
Section 14.
Section 10.
The Animals Intended for Food Act is amended
by changing Section 2.1 as follows:
(410 ILCS 605/2.1) (from Ch. 8, par. 107.1)
Sec. 2.1. When in the interest of the general
public and in the opinion of the Department
of Agriculture it is deemed advisable, the
Department has authority to quarantine or restrict
any and all animals intended for human consumption
that contain poisonous or deleterious substances
which may render meat or meat products or poultry
or poultry products from such animals or poultry
injurious to health; except in case the quantity
of such substances in such animals does not
ordinarily render meat or meat products or
poultry or poultry products from such animals
injurious to health. The Department or its
duly authorized agent shall investigate or
cause to be investigated all cases where it
has reason to believe that animals intended for
human consumption are contaminated with any poisonous
or deleterious substance which may render them
unfit for human consumption. The Department or its duly designated agent in
performing the duties vested in it under this
Act is empowered to enter any premises, barns,
stables, sheds, or other places for the purposes
of administering this Act. The Department may
allow the sale or transfer of animals under quarantine
or restriction subject to reasonable rules and
regulations as may be prescribed.
For the purposes of this Act, the term "Animal" means
cattle, calves, sheep, swine, horses, mules or
other equidae, goats, poultry and any other animal
which can be or may be used in and for meat or
poultry or their products for human
consumption.
(Source: P.A. 77-2117.)
Section 15. The Illinois Equine Infectious Anemia
Control Act is amended by changing Section 4
as follows:
(510 ILCS 65/4) (from Ch. 8, par. 954)
Sec. 4. Tests of equidae entering the State.
All equidae more than 12 months of age entering
the State for any reason other than for immediate
slaughter shall be accompanied by a Certificate
of Veterinary Inspection issued by an accredited
veterinarian of the state of origin within
30 days prior to entry and shall be negative
to an official test for EIA within one year
prior to entry. Equidae entering the State
for immediate slaughter shall be accompanied
by a consignment direct to slaughter at an approved equine slaughtering
establishment.
(Source: P.A. 86-223.)
Section 20.
The Humane Care for Animals Act is amended by
changing Sections 5 and 7.5 as follows:
(510 ILCS 70/5) (from Ch. 8, par. 705)
Sec. 5. Lame or disabled horses. No person shall
sell, offer to sell, lead, ride, transport,
or drive on any public
way any equidae which, because of debility, disease,
lameness or any other cause, could not be worked
in this State without
violating this Act, unless the equidae is being
sold, transported, or housed with the intent
that it will be moved in an expeditious and humane
manner to an approved slaughtering
establishment. Such equidae may be conveyed to
a proper place for medical or surgical treatment
or , for humane keeping or
euthanasia, or for slaughter in an approved slaughtering
establishment.
A person convicted of violating this Section
or any rule,
regulation, or order of the Department pursuant
thereto is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. A
second or subsequent
violation is a Class 4 felony.
(Source: P.A. 92-650, eff. 7-11-02.)
(510 ILCS 70/7.5)
Sec. 7.5. Downed animals.
(a) For the purpose of this Section a downed
animal is one
incapable of walking without assistance.
(b) No downed animal shall be sent to a stockyard,
auction,
or other facility where its impaired mobility
may result in
suffering. An injured animal other than those
of the equine
genus may be sent directly to a slaughter facility.
(c) A downed animal sent to a stockyard, auction,
or other
facility in violation of this Section shall be
humanely
euthanized, the disposition of such animal shall
be the
responsibility of the owner, and the owner shall
be liable for
any expense incurred.
If an animal becomes downed in transit it shall
be the
responsibility of the carrier.
(d) A downed animal shall not be transported
unless
individually segregated.
(e) A person convicted of violating this Section
or any
rule, regulation, or order of the Department
pursuant thereto
is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. A second
or subsequent
violation is a Class 4 felony, with every day
that a violation
continues constituting a separate offense.
(Source: P.A. 92-650, eff. 7-11-02.)
Section 25.
The Humane Slaughter of Livestock Act is
amended by changing Section 2 as follows:
(510 ILCS 75/2)
(from Ch. 8,
par. 229.52)
Sec. 2. As used
in this Act:
(1) "Director" means the Director
of the Department of
Agriculture of the State of Illinois.
(2) "Person" means any individual,
partnership,
corporation, or association doing business in
this State, in
whole or in part.
(3) "Slaughterer" means any person
regularly engaged in the
commercial slaughtering of livestock.
(4) "Livestock" means cattle, calves,
sheep, swine,
horses, mules, goats, and any other animal which
can or may be
used in and for the preparation of meat or meat
products for
consumption by human beings or animals. "Livestock",
however,
does not include horses, mules, or other equidae
to be used in
and for the preparation of meat or meat products
for
consumption by human beings, which is prohibited
under Section
1.5 of the Illinois Horse Meat Act.
(5) "Packer" means any person engaged
in the business of
slaughtering or manufacturing or otherwise preparing
meat or
meat products for sale, either by such person
or others; or of
manufacturing or preparing livestock products
for sale by such
person or others.
(6) "Humane method" means either
(a) a method whereby the
animal is rendered insensible to pain by gunshot
or by
mechanical, electrical, chemical or other means
that is rapid
and effective, before being shackled, hoisted,
thrown, cast or cut; or (b) a method in accordance
with ritual requirements of
the Jewish faith or any other religious faith
whereby the
animal suffers loss of consciousness by anemia
of the brain
caused by the simultaneous and instantaneous
severance of the
carotid arteries with a sharp instrument.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2023.)
Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this
Act are
severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on
Statutes.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect
upon
becoming law.
INDEX
Statutes amended in order of appearance
225 ILCS 635/1.5 new
225 ILCS 635/14 rep. from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 253
410 ILCS 605/2.1 from Ch. 8, par. 107.1
510 ILCS 65/4 from Ch. 8, par. 954
510 ILCS 70/5 from Ch. 8, par. 705
510 ILCS 70/7.5
510 ILCS 75/2 from Ch. 8, par. 229.52
Effective Date: 5/24/2007 |
llinois
Horsemeat Act
(225 ILCS 635/1)
Illinois Compiled Statutes
Professions and Occupations
Sec. 1. In this Act, unless the context or
subject matter otherwise requires:
- (1) "Horse Meat" means the flesh of any animal
of the equine family.
- (2) "Slaughterer" means any person engaged
in killing animals of the equine family where
the carcasses are butchered for any purpose
other than that of manufacturing tankage.
- (3) "Wholesale Distributor" means any person
not licensed as a slaughterer who is engaged
in the business of securing horse meat from
a slaughterer, distributor or any other person
and distributing it to any retailer, stock
or pet ranch, or place where food is served
for consumption on the premises.
- (4) "Package" means any closed and sealed
container which is sold as an unopened unit
to the purchaser.
- (5) "Bulk meat" means whole carcass, half
carcass or quarter carcass.
- (6) "Director" means the Director of Agriculture.
- (7) "Department" means the Department of
Agriculture.
- (8) "Processor" means an establishment in
which carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat or
meat-by-products derived from any animal of
the equine family are wholly or in part canned,
packed or otherwise processed or prepared for
sale.
- (9) "Breeder and Raiser of Fur Bearing Animals" means
and includes any person who is actively engaged
in breeding and raising fur bearing animals
who kills and butchers animals of the equine
family for feed for such fur bearing animals
and does not sell or distribute any part of
meat therefrom except in ground form, in which
the meat and bones have been ground together,
and then only to other persons who also are
engaged in the breeding and raising of fur
bearing animals. (Source: Laws 1955, p. 388.)
(225 ILCS 635/2)
Sec. 2. No person shall engage in business as
slaughterer, processor, breeder and raiser, or
wholesale distributor without a license secured
from the Department. The form for the application
shall be specified by the director. The form
shall indicate whether or not the applicant for
a license is a corporation in which case a listing
shall be made of all holders of more than 5%
of the stock of the corporation. The Secretary
of the corporation shall immediately notify the
Director of any changes in the listing of the
stockholders holding more than 5% of the stock
of the corporation.
(Source: Laws 1955, p. 388.)
(225 ILCS 635/2.1)
Sec. 2.1. No carcass or part of a carcass of
a horse, donkey, mule or other animal of the
genus equus shall be transported into or slaughtered
in the State of Illinois, or held, kept, sold,
offered for sale or given away unless it shall
be ground, chopped or comminuted so that no piece
shall be greater than 3/4 of an inch in any dimension
and unless the mass shall be denatured by thoroughly
and evenly mixing therein ground bone in an amount
sufficient to be felt and determined by feel
when rolled between the fingers; or not less
than 1% by weight of No. 10 to No. 14 U.S. standard
mesh granular charcoal; or by coloring with a
harmless coloring matter, other than red; or
in any other manner approved by the Department
of Agriculture of the State of Illinois. Nothing
in this Act prohibits the sale or transportation
of bulk meat to a licensed processor if it is
denatured as provided above. This Act does not
prohibit the sale or transportation of undenatured
bulk horse meat to a licensed processor under
a permit granted by the Director upon evidence
satisfactory to the Director that such bulk horse
meat will not be resold or again transported
contrary to the provisions of this Act. Nothing
in this Section shall apply to horse meat labeled
as such in hermetically sealed containers and
horse meat in frozen packages of one pound or
less, clearly labeled "horse meat", bearing the
federal inspection legend and packed in a federally
inspected packing plant.
(Source: P.A. 83-760.)
(225 ILCS 635/3)
Sec. 3. Each person engaged in business as a
slaughterer, processor, breeder and raiser, or
wholesale distributor shall pay an annual license
of $50 for each location, except a breeder and
raiser of fur bearing animals who slaughters
for his own use shall pay an annual license fee
of $10 for each location.
However any city, village, incorporated town,
park district or other municipal corporation
which maintains a zoo shall be granted a license
as a slaughterer, processor or breeder and raiser
without payment of any annual license fee upon
compliance with the requirements of this Act,
but such a licensee shall not use horse meat
except as food for its zoo animals.
(Source: Laws 1957, p. 192.)
(225 ILCS 635/3.1)
Sec. 3.1 Upon receipt of an application for
a license, the Director of the Department shall
cause the said applicant, his premises and facilities
to be inspected by authorized inspectors of the
Department for purposes of sanitation, proper
facilities and the character of the firm, person,
corporation or its officers filing such application.
If, upon completion of the above inspection,
the applicant or his facilities are found not
to be in compliance with the provisions of this
Act, the Director may deny or refuse to renew
the license.
(Source: Laws 1953, p. 1208.)
(225 ILCS 635/3.2)
Sec. 3.2 The following persons are ineligible
for licenses:
a. A person who is not a resident of the city,
village or county in which the premises covered
by the license are located; except in case of railroad
or boat licenses.
b. A person who is not of good character and reputation
in the community in which he resides.
c. A person who is not a citizen of the United
States.
d. A person who has been convicted of a felony.
e. A person who has been convicted of a crime or
misdemeanor opposed to decency and morality.
f. A person whose license issued under this Act
has been revoked for cause.
g. A person who at the time of application for
renewal of any license issued hereunder would not
be eligible for such license upon a first application.
h. A co-partnership, unless all of the members
of such co-partnership shall be qualified to obtain
a license.
i. A corporation, if any officer, manager or director
thereof or any stockholder or stockholders owning
in the aggregate more than five percent (5%) of
the stock of such corporation, would not be eligible
to receive a license hereunder for any reason other
than citizenship and residence within the political
subdivision.
j. A person whose place of business is conducted
by a manager or agent unless said manager or agent
possesses the same qualifications required of the
licensee.
(Source: Laws 1955, p. 388.)
(225 ILCS 635/4)
Sec. 4. Each person engaged in business as a
slaughterer or wholesale distributor and operating
from any vehicle, unless the vehicle is operated
as a part of a licensed establishment having
a fixed location, shall pay an annual fee of
$25 for each vehicle.
(Source: Laws 1951, p. 1498.)
(225 ILCS 635/5)
Sec. 5. Each applicant for a license and each
licensee shall operate its business in a sanitary
manner and be subject to inspection by authorized
agents of the Department. Each person engaged
in business as a slaughterer, processor, breeder
and raiser, or wholesale distributor, except
a breeder and raiser of fur bearing animals who
slaughters for his own use, shall operate his
business in accordance with the Sanitary Inspection
Law of the Department of Agriculture. For any
violation thereof, the Department may revoke
the license of a licensee herein or deny the
license of an applicant who fails to comply with
the provisions thereof, subject in either case
to a hearing as provided in Section 40 of "An
Act to prevent fraud in the sale of dairy products,
their imitation or substitutes, to prohibit and
prevent the manufacture and sale of unhealthful,
adulterated or misbranded food, liquors or dairy
products, and to repeal all acts relating to
the production, manufacture and sale of dairy
and food products and liquors in conflict herewith",
approved May 14, 1907, as amended.
(Source: Laws 1953, p. 1208.)
(225 ILCS 635/6)
Sec. 6. Each person engaged in business as a
slaughterer or wholesale distributor who uses
vehicles to distribute horse meat shall mark
plainly on both sides of the vehicle the person's
name, address and license number.
(Source: Laws 1951, p. 1498.)
(225 ILCS 635/7)
Sec. 7. Any vehicle operating independently
in distributing horse meat shall be marked plainly
on both sides with the name of the operator and
his license number.
(Source: Laws 1951, p. 1498.)
(225 ILCS 635/8)
Sec. 8. Nothing in this Act shall be construed
as requiring any person to secure a license for
any vehicle which is operating as a common carrier.
(Source: Laws 1951, p. 1498.)
(225 ILCS 635/9)
Sec. 9. No distributor of horse meat shall have
in his possession horse meat ready for distribution
unless each package is plainly labeled or tagged
with the words "Horse Meat" or, if the meat is
that of some member or members of the equine
family other than the horse or is a mixture of
meats, then with a label designating the specific
species from which such meat was derived.
(Source: Laws 1955, p. 388.)
(225 ILCS 635/10)
Sec. 10. No slaughterer shall have any package
of horse meat ready for distribution in its possession
unless such package is plainly labeled as is
provided by Section 9 of this Act. The possession
or control of any horse meat which violates any
of the provisions of this Act shall be held to
be prima facie evidence that such possession
or control is or was with intent to sell or use
such horse meat in violation of this Act. Whoever
shall have possession or control with intent
to sell any horse meat which violates any of
the provisions of this Act shall be held to have
known the true character, quality and name of
such horse meat.
(Source: Laws 1955, p. 388.)
(225 ILCS 635/11)
Sec. 11. No retailer, stock or pet ranch, or
place where food is served for consumption on
the premises shall have in his or its possession
any package of horse meat ready for distribution
which is not plainly labeled as provided in section
9 of this Act.
(Source: Laws 1955, p. 388.)
(225 ILCS 635/12)
Sec. 12. No person shall, with intent to mislead
or deceive, deface, erase or remove any label
or mark required by any provision of this Act.
(Source: Laws 1951, p. 1498.)
(225 ILCS 635/13)
Sec. 13. No person shall sell horse meat or mixture
of horse meat and the meat of any other animal
unless the package is plainly labeled as provided
in section 9 of this Act.
(Source: Laws 1955, p. 388.)
(225 ILCS 635/14)
Sec. 14. Horse meat labeled as such in hermetically
sealed containers and registered under the Illinois
Commercial Feed Act of 1961 is excluded from
the provisions of this Act. Horse meat prepared
in federally inspected plants located in the
State of Illinois, for sale outside of the State
of Illinois, is excluded from the provisions
of this Act.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3891.)
(225 ILCS 635/14.1)
Sec. 14.1 The Department of Agriculture shall
make and enforce reasonable rules and regulations
necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act.
(Source: Laws 1953, p. 1208.)
(225 ILCS 635/15)
Sec. 15. For the violation of any of the provisions
of this Act or the rules and regulations made
by the Department pursuant to this Act, the Department
shall have the authority to revoke any license,
subject to a hearing as is provided for under "The
Illinois Administrative Procedure Act", approved
September 22, 1975, as amended.
(Source: P.A. 83-333.)
(225 ILCS 635/16)
Sec. 16.Whoever violates any provision of this
Act shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(Source: P. A. 77-2508.)
(225 ILCS 635/17)
Sec. 17. All final administrative decisions
of the Department hereunder are subject to judicial
review pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative
Review Law, and all amendments and modifications
thereof and all rules and regulations adapted
pursuant thereto. The term "administrative decision" is
defined as in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil
Procedure.
(Source: P.A. 82-783.)
(225 ILCS 635/18)
Sec. 18. Short Title. This Act shall be known
and may be cited as the Illinois Horse Meat Act.
(Source: P.A. 83-760.) |
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