HB6570 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 16097 RAS 41725 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB6570

Introduced 2/6/2004, by Robert S. Molaro

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

225 ILCS 635/1.5 new
225 ILCS 635/14	from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 253
410 ILCS 605/2.1	from Ch. 8, par. 107.1
510 ILCS 75/2	from Ch. 8, par. 229.52

Amends the Illinois Horse Meat Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to (i) slaughter a horse, (ii) possess, import into or export from the State, or sell, buy, give away, hold, or accept any horse meat, or (iii) possess, import into or export from the State, or sell, buy, give away, hold, or accept any horse with the intent of slaughtering that horse if that person knows or should know that any of the horse meat will be used for human consumption. Provides that any person who does so is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor. Amends the Animals Intended for Food Act and the Humane Slaughter of Livestock Act to make corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

CORRECTIONAL BUDGET AND IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning livestock.

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 and changing Section 14 as follows:

(225 ILCS 635/1.5 new)

Sec. 1.5. Meat for human consumption.

(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 with the intent of slaughtering that horse if that person knows or should know that any of the horse meat will be used for human consumption.

(c) 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.

(d) Any person who knowingly violates any of the provisions of this Section is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

(225 ILCS 635/14) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 253)

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, except for Section 1.5, of this Act.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3891.)

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 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 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.