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AB-3159 Animal slaughter: poultry.(2017-2018)

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Date Published: 03/23/2018 09:00 PM
AB3159:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 23, 2018

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 3159

Introduced by Assembly Member Thurmond

February 16, 2018

An act to amend Section 19501 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to animals.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 3159, as amended, Thurmond. Animal slaughter. slaughter: poultry.
Existing law specifies the method by which designated animals are required to be slaughtered by any person engaged in the business of slaughtering those animals or by any person when all, or any part, of that animal is subsequently sold or used for commercial purposes. Existing law permits a method of slaughter that requires the animal to be rendered insensible to pain by specified means before being cut, shackled, hoisted, or cast, with the exception of poultry, which may be shackled. Under existing law, a violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions. prohibit, when this method of slaughter is used, poultry from being shackled before being rendered insensible to pain by those specified means. Because a violation of this prohibition would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NOYES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 19501 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

19501.
 (a) Cattle, calves, horses, mules, sheep, swine, goats, or fallow deer, or poultry shall be slaughtered by the methods prescribed in this section. A state agency shall not contract for, purchase, procure, or sell all or any portion of any animal, unless that animal is slaughtered in conformity with this chapter. This chapter applies to any person engaged in the business of slaughtering animals enumerated in this section, or any person slaughtering any of those animals when all, or any part of, that animal is subsequently sold or used for commercial purposes.
(b) All cattle, calves, horses, mules, sheep, swine, goats, or fallow deer deer, or poultry subject to this part, or poultry subject to Part 1 (commencing with Section 24501) of, Part 2 (commencing with Section 25401) of, and Part 3 (commencing with Section 26401) of, Division 12 shall be slaughtered by either of the following prescribed methods:
(1) The animal shall be rendered insensible to pain by a captive bolt, gunshot, electrical or chemical means, or any other means that is rapid and effective before being cut, shackled, hoisted, thrown, or cast, with the exception of poultry that may be shackled. cast.
(2) The animal shall be handled, prepared for slaughter, and slaughtered in accordance with ritual requirements of the Jewish or any other religious faith that prescribes a method of slaughter 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.
(c) This section does not apply to the slaughter of spent hens and small game birds, as defined by the department by regulation.

SEC. 2.

 No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.