SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1339        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 992

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Anne M. Gobi, (BY REQUEST)

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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 placing a moratorium on slaughterhouse infrastructure.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1339        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 992

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act placing a moratorium on slaughterhouse infrastructure.

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 164 of the General Laws as so appearing in the 2022 Official Edition is hereby amended by inserting after section 148 the following section-:

Section 149. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

“Slaughterhouse” a facility where the slaughtering of meat from animals, including chickens, turkeys, pigs, cattle, ducks, sheep, and other animals, takes place and that has annual revenues of thirty thousand dollars or more.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law and beginning January 1, 2024, slaughterhouses shall not commence nor expand operations. This section does not prohibit a person from completing construction of a slaughterhouse if the person had begun the construction, or expansion, before January 1, 2023.

Any person that violates this chapter is civilly liable for a penalty in an amount not to exceed a sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation per day. If, after examination of a complaint by the secretary or a member of the public and of the evidence, the Attorney General believes a violation of this chapter has occurred, the Attorney General shall bring an action for civil penalties or an injunction in the name of the people of this state in a court of competent jurisdiction against any person violating this chapter. If, acting upon the Attorney General’s own initiative, the Attorney General believes a violation of this chapter has occurred, the Attorney General may bring an action for civil penalties or an injunction in the name of the people of this state in a court of competent jurisdiction against any person violating this chapter.