HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 953        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 868

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Paul A. Schmid, III

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a commission on livestock shelter requirements.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Paul A. Schmid, III

8th Bristol

1/10/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

1/22/2019

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol

2/1/2019

Antonio F. D. Cabral

13th Bristol

1/30/2019

Daniel R. Carey

2nd Hampshire

2/1/2019

Angelo L. D'Emilia

8th Plymouth

1/30/2019

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

1/28/2019

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

1/28/2019

Carole A. Fiola

6th Bristol

1/24/2019

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/31/2019

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

1/28/2019

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

1/24/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

1/29/2019

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

1/28/2019

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

2/1/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

1/28/2019

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

1/30/2019

Harold P. Naughton, Jr.

12th Worcester

2/1/2019

Norman J. Orrall

12th Bristol

1/30/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 953        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 868

By Mr. Schmid of Westport, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 868) of Paul A. Schmid, III and others for legislation to establish a commission on livestock shelter requirements within the Department of Agricultural Resources to develop standards for the appropriate sheltering of livestock from weather elements.  Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act establishing a commission on livestock shelter requirements.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 128 of the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2016 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following new section:-

Section 116. (a) The Commissioner of Agricultural Resources shall convene a Commission on Livestock Shelter Requirements consisting of 7 members, of which the Commissioner or his designee shall be a member and chair. Additional members shall include: a representative of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a representative of the Animal Rescue League of Massachusetts, a representative of the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association, a representative of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, a representative of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation and a representative of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming organization.

(b) The purpose of the task force shall be to develop standards for the appropriate sheltering of livestock from weather elements.  Said standards shall consider requirements appropriate to the species, age and condition of animals.

(c)The standards shall be published within 18 months of passage of this bill. They shall serve as standards for enforcement by agents of organizations listed in section 57 of chapter 22C of the General Laws, who have been designated as special state police officers under that law. 

(d) The Commission shall reconvene at the request of the Commissioner or any 3 members for the purpose of updating the Livestock Shelter Requirements.