BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

H.B. 410

86R15307 SRA-D

By: White; Bailes (Johnson)

 

Health & Human Services

 

5/16/2019

 

Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Under current law, small producers of rabbit meat in Texas are exempt from certain federal inspection requirements, but are subject to the same state inspection requirements of much larger livestock processing establishments. H.B. 410 seeks to address this issue by exempting certain domestic rabbit processing establishments from regulations of low-volume livestock processing establishments.

 

H.B. 410 amends the Health and Safety Code to exempt a low-volume livestock processing establishment that is exempt from federal inspection and processes fewer than 500 domestic rabbits in a calendar year from the requirement to register with the Department of State Health Services and from the requirement to develop a sanitary operation procedures plan.

 

The bill also defines "low-volume livestock processing establishment," for purposes of requirements for such establishments, to include an establishment that processes fewer than 10,000 poultry or domestic rabbits in a calendar year.

 

H.B. 410 passed the House unanimously and has no opposition.

 

H.B. 410 amends current law relating to the regulation of certain low-volume livestock processing establishments.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 433.0245, Health and Safety Code, by adding Subsections (a-1) and (e) and amending Subsections (b) and (c), as follows:

 

(a-1) Defines "low-volume livestock processing establishment" for purposes of this section.

 

(b) Creates an exception under Subsection (e) to the requirement that a low-volume livestock processing establishment that is exempt from federal inspection register with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in accordance with rules adopted by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for registration. Makes a nonsubstantive change.

 

(c) Creates an exception under Subsection (e) to the requirement that a low-volume livestock processing establishment that is exempt from federal inspection develop a sanitary operation procedures plan. Makes a nonsubstantive change.

 

(e) Provides that a low-volume livestock processing establishment that is exempt from federal inspection and processes fewer than 500 domestic rabbits in a calendar year is not required to comply with Subsection (b) or (c).

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2019.