SB23: establishing a study committee on meat processing.

CHAPTER 94

SB 23 - FINAL VERSION

01/19/2023 0031s

2023 SESSION

23-0986

09/08

SENATE BILL 23

AN ACT establishing a study committee on meat processing.

SPONSORS: Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Rep. Payeur, Merr. 8; Rep. Wolf, Merr. 7; Rep. S. Gould, Merr. 8

COMMITTEE: Commerce

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a committee to study federal laws regarding meat processing and inspection and best practices for farms looking to process for sale meat from non-amenable species; identify other states currently exempting non-amenable species from inspection; and examine other states' meat inspection programs.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

01/19/2023 0031s 23-0986

09/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

AN ACT establishing a study committee on meat processing.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

94:1 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study adding non-amenable species to the list of meat processing inspection exemptions and the creation of a state meat inspection program.

94:2 Membership and Compensation.

I. The members of the committee shall be as follows:

(a) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

II. Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

94:3 Duties. The committee shall:

I. Examine existing state and federal laws regarding meat processing inspection including the definitions of non-amenable and exotic species under the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services Guidelines.

II. Identify best practices for farms looking to process for sale meat from non-amenable species.

III. Identify other states currently exempting non-amenable species from inspection.

IV. Work with other state agencies, as needed.

V. Examine existing state and federal laws and regulations regarding state run meat inspection programs.

VI. Work with the department of agriculture, markets, and food, the department of health and human services, and the department of fish and game, to determine how the existing state meat inspection program could be modified.

VII. Identify other states currently using a state meat inspection program.

94:4 Chairperson; Quorum. The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first-named senate member. The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Three members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

94:5 Report. The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2023.

94:6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved: June 20, 2023

Effective Date: June 20, 2023