NY State Senate Bill 2021-S6144

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to agriculture
Apr 12, 2021	referred to agriculture

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A475
Current Committee:: Senate Agriculture
Law Section:: Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:: Add §353-g, Ag & Mkts L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: A8163
2011-2012: A1928
2013-2014: A424
2015-2016: S3999, A372
2017-2018: S4718, A1341
2019-2020: S657, A752
2023-2024: S7611, A341

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Pertains to confinement of animals for food producing purposes; prohibits any person to tether or confine any pig during pregnancy, calf raised for veal, or egg-laying hen who is kept on a farm for all or the majority of any day in a manner that prevents such animal from lying down, standing up and fully extending its limbs and turning around freely; establishes that commission of such crime shall constitute a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed one year and/or fine not to exceed $1,000.

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S6144

SPONSOR: BOYLE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the
confinement of animals for food producing purposes

 
PURPOSE:

To phase out pig gestation crates, veal crates and hen battery cages.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new
section 353-g for the confinement of animals for food producing
purposes.

Subdivision 1. Defines the terms employed for the purposes of this bill.

Subdivision 2. Makes it unlawful for any person to confine any covered

animal in a manner that prevents them from lying down, standing up and
fully extending its limbs and turning around freely.

Subdivision 3. Lists exemptions to the rules set forth in the previous
subdivision.

Subdivision 4. Makes any violation of the provisions of this section a
Class A misdemeanor.

Subdivision 5. Provides for local laws or ordinances that do not
conflict with the provisions of this law.

Subdivision 6. Stipulates that nothing in this section shall reduce the
protection afforded to animals or the enforcement of such protection.
Subdivision 7. Sets out the enforcement mechanism for this section.

Section 2. Establishes effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Harsh confinement within confinement crates and cages deprives calves,
pigs and chickens of the ability to engage in natural behavior.  Animals
confined in such circumstances experience extensive and significant
physical and psychological trauma.

Nationwide, about one million calves raised for veal and six million
breeding sows (female pigs) suffer nearly their entire lives inside tiny
crates so small the animals cannot turn around. According to the Humane
Society of the United States, veal factory farmers separate calves from
their mothers within the first few days of birth and cram them into
individual crates or stalls, tethered by their necks.  Inside these
enclosures, the calves can barely move.

Breeding sows suffer under similar circumstances. Gestation crates board
pregnant pigs for nearly their entire four-month pregnancy.  These tiny
metal crates are not even large enough for the pig to move or perform
natural behaviors such as cleaning themselves or simply turning around.

Veal and pork producers nationally are already in the process of phasing
out veal and gestation crates. All veal producers have set a deadline of
2017 for themselves to phase out veal crates. In January 2007, Smith-
field, the nation's largest pork producers, announced that they would
phase out the confinement of pigs over the next decade.  Cargill, the
nation's 8th biggest pork producers, has also stated that they are work-
ing on phasing out confinement. The world's largest food-service provid-
er, Compass group, is phasing out cage shell eggs for all of its 8,000
U.S. accounts. This announcement followed Bon Appetit's decision to
phase out cage eggs for all of its 400 cafes, including major corporate
clients such as Yahoo!, Oracle Corporation, Cisco Systems, Adidas, Best
Buy, and Nordstrom, Cartwells and Gukenheimer, some of the largest
U.S.-owned food service companies, made similar decisions.

Other entities such as Ben and Jerry's, AOL, Google, Chicago's Swedish
Covenant Hospital and Omni Hotels will not serve battery cage eggs in
the food that they provide to workers, clients and guests. More than 350
schools have enacted policies to eliminate or greatly decrease their use
of eggs from caged hens.

These self-imposed pledges are an excellent first step, but the indus-
try's best practices should be embraced across the board.  American
consumers are increasingly demanding the humane treatment of all
animals, including those raised for food. New York State should rise to
meet this demand by bringing the practices of its agricultural industry
into the modern era.

This ban is not without precedent. In 2002, Florida voters banned
gestation crates in a 55-45% vote. In 2006, Arizona voters banned
gestation crates. In 2007, the Oregon legislature banned gestation
crates and in 2008, the Colorado legislature banned both gestation
crates and veal crates. California voters recently passed Proposition 2
which banned gestation crates, veal crates and battery cages by a
63.5-36.5% vote. The entire European Union has also banned both veal
crates and gestation crates, effective 2007 and 2013, respectively.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2020: S. 657- Referred to Agriculture / A. 752- Referred to Agriculture
2019: S. 657- Referred to Agriculture / A. 752- Referred to Agriculture
2018: S. 4718- Referred to Agriculture / A. 1341- Referred to Agricul-
ture
2017: S. 4718- Referred to Agriculture / A.  1341- Referred to Agricul-
ture
2016: S. 3999- Referred to Agriculture / A. 372-A- Referred to Agricul-
ture
2015: S. 3999- Referred to Agriculture / A. 372-A- Recommitted to Agri-
culture

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take effect twenty-four months after it shall have
become a law.

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6144
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 12, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BOYLE  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets  law,  in  relation  to  the
   confinement of animals for food producing purposes
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a  new
 section 353-g to read as follows:
   §  353-G.  CONFINEMENT OF ANIMALS FOR FOOD PRODUCING PURPOSES. 1.  FOR
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE  THE  FOLLOWING
 MEANINGS:
   (A)  "CALF  RAISED FOR VEAL" MEANS ANY CALF OF THE BOVINE SPECIES KEPT
 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRODUCING THE FOOD PRODUCT DESCRIBED AS VEAL.
   (B) "COVERED ANIMALS" MEANS ANY PIG DURING PREGNANCY, CALF RAISED  FOR
 VEAL, OR EGG-LAYING HEN WHO IS KEPT ON A FARM.
   (C)  "EGG-LAYING  HEN"  MEANS ANY FEMALE DOMESTICATED CHICKEN, TURKEY,
 DUCK, GOOSE, OR GUINEA FOWL KEPT FOR THE PURPOSE OF EGG PRODUCTION.
   (D) "ENCLOSURE" MEANS ANY CAGE, CRATE, OR OTHER  STRUCTURE  (INCLUDING
 WHAT  IS  COMMONLY  DESCRIBED  AS  A "GESTATION CRATE" FOR PIGS, A "VEAL
 CRATE" FOR CALVES, OR A "BATTERY CAGE"  FOR  EGG-LAYING  HENS)  USED  TO
 CONFINE A COVERED ANIMAL.
   (E)  "FARM"  MEANS  THE  LAND, BUILDING, SUPPORT FACILITIES, AND OTHER
 EQUIPMENT  THAT  ARE  WHOLLY  OR  PARTIALLY  USED  FOR  THE   COMMERCIAL
 PRODUCTION  OF  ANIMALS  OR  ANIMAL PRODUCTS USED FOR FOOD OR FIBER, AND
 DOES NOT INCLUDE LIVE ANIMAL MARKETS.
   (F) "FULLY EXTENDING ITS LIMBS" MEANS FULLY EXTENDING ALL LIMBS  WITH-
 OUT  TOUCHING  THE  SIDE OF AN ENCLOSURE, INCLUDING, IN THE CASE OF EGG-
 LAYING HENS, FULLY SPREADING BOTH WINGS WITHOUT TOUCHING THE SIDE OF  AN
 ENCLOSURE OR OTHER EGG-LAYING HENS.
   (G)  "PERSON"  MEANS ANY INDIVIDUAL, CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP, ASSOCI-
 ATION, OR OTHER LEGAL ENTITY.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD00384-01-1

 S. 6144                             2
 
   (H) "PIG DURING PREGNANCY" MEANS  ANY  PREGNANT  PIG  OF  THE  PORCINE
 SPECIES KEPT FOR THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF BREEDING.
   (I) "TURNING AROUND FREELY" MEANS TURNING IN A COMPLETE CIRCLE WITHOUT
 ANY  IMPEDIMENT, INCLUDING A TETHER, AND WITHOUT TOUCHING THE SIDE OF AN
 ENCLOSURE.
   2. IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL FOR  ANY  PERSON  TO  TETHER  OR  CONFINE  ANY
 COVERED ANIMAL, AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, ON A FARM
 FOR  ALL  OR  THE  MAJORITY  OF  ANY DAY, IN A MANNER THAT PREVENTS SUCH
 ANIMAL FROM LYING DOWN, STANDING UP AND FULLY EXTENDING  ITS  LIMBS  AND
 TURNING AROUND FREELY.
   3.  THIS  SECTION  SHALL  NOT  APPLY  DURING  THE  FOLLOWING  LAWFULLY
 PERFORMED ACTIVITIES:
   (A) TRANSPORTATION,
   (B) EXHIBITIONS AT RODEOS, FAIRS, YOUTH PROGRAMS, AND SIMILAR  EXHIBI-
 TIONS,
   (C) SLAUGHTERING PROCESS,
   (D) SCIENTIFIC OR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH,
   (E) EXAMINATION, TESTING, INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT OR OPERATION FOR VETER-
 INARY PURPOSES,
   (F)  TO  A PIG DURING THE SEVEN-DAY PERIOD PRIOR TO THE PIG'S EXPECTED
 DATE OF GIVING BIRTH.
   4. A VIOLATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION IS A CLASS  A  MISDE-
 MEANOR  PUNISHABLE  BY IMPRISONMENT FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED ONE YEAR,
 OR BY A FINE NOT TO EXCEED ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS, OR BY  BOTH  SUCH  FINE
 AND IMPRISONMENT.
   5.  NOTHING  CONTAINED  IN  THIS SECTION SHALL PREVENT ANY TOWN, CITY,
 VILLAGE OR COUNTY IN NEW YORK STATE FROM ENACTING A LOCAL LAW  OR  ORDI-
 NANCE  TO  PROVIDE FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF AND PREVENTION OF CRUELTY
 TO FARM ANIMALS, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT NO SUCH LAW SHALL CONFLICT WITH
 THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   6. NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO REDUCE  THE
 PROTECTION  AFFORDED  TO  FARM  ANIMALS  UNDER ANY OTHER SECTION OF THIS
 ARTICLE OR ANY OTHER LAW OR REGULATION. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE
 CONSTRUED TO LIMIT OR RESTRICT AGENTS OR OFFICERS OF SOCIETIES  FOR  THE
 PREVENTION  OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS OR THE POLICE FROM ENFORCING THE OTHER
 PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE OR ANY OTHER LAW OR  REGULATION  RELATING  TO
 THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF OR CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.
   7. THIS SECTION SHALL BE ENFORCED BY THE DEPARTMENT, AND ANY AGENT AND
 OFFICER  OF  ANY DULY INCORPORATED SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY
 TO ANIMALS MAY ISSUE AN APPEARANCE TICKET PURSUANT TO SECTION 150.20  OF
 THE  CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW, SUMMONS OR ARREST, AND BRING BEFORE A COURT
 OR MAGISTRATE HAVING JURISDICTION, ANY PERSON OFFENDING AGAINST  ANY  OF
 THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect twenty-four months after it shall have
 become a law.

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Senate Bill S6144

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S6144

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Sponsored By

Phil Boyle

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S6144 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments